La zi ji

Method

1. 1 Debone the chicken thighs, cut them into small pieces about 2 cm in size, and marinate them with Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch for 20 minutes.
2. 2 Deep-fry the chicken for 4 minutes until golden brown, then remove and drain.
3. 3 Fry the chicken pieces a second time over high heat for 1 minute until they are crispy and dry.
4. 4 Drain off excess oil, then sauté the dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns for 1 minute over low heat until fragrant without burning.
5. 5 Add the minced garlic and ginger, then add the chicken, season with sugar, stir well for 1 minute, and sprinkle with white sesame seeds.

With an appliance

• Air fryer 44 min

  Replace steps 2 and 3: evenly spray oil on the chicken, fry at 190 degrees for 11 minutes, then increase to 205 degrees for another 3 minutes, flip at the 7th minute; steps 4 and 5 still involve sautéing chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, then tossing the chicken in the pan.