Spicy Diced Chicken
“Small chicken cubes deep-fried twice, then tossed in a wok with a pile of dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns — the chicken is hidden, the chiles are the show.”
Where it comes from
Codified in 1980s Chongqing's Geleshan area, where roadside stalls competed on chile-to-chicken ratio (the more chiles hiding the chicken, the better the cook). Modern Geleshan-style 辣子鸡 uses Erjingtiao chiles for fragrance and Chao Tian Jiao for heat. The dish spread nationally through Chongqing diaspora and is now globally identified with Sichuan-Chongqing cooking, though it post-dates Mapo Tofu by a century.
On the plate
A pile of dried red chiles glossy with oil, with small dark-crisp chicken cubes hidden underneath. The chicken is twice-fried — outside is shatter-crisp, inside still juicy. Numbness from Sichuan peppercorn arrives first, chili heat second, then the chicken's savory weight. The chiles aren't supposed to be eaten — they're flavor scaffolding. Eaters chase the chicken with chopsticks.
How it works
The double-fry is non-negotiable. Single-fried chicken at one temperature is either pale and limp (oil too cool) or dry inside (oil too hot). Two passes — 160°C to cook through, then 190°C to crisp the surface — produce the signature dark crust + juicy interior. The Sichuan peppercorn must be added late and only briefly heated; long contact with hot oil destroys its volatile sanshool oil and the dish loses its má character.
Codified in 1980s Chongqing's Geleshan area — stalls competed on chile-to-chicken ratio. Erjingtiao chiles for fragrance, Chao Tian Jiao for heat. The chiles aren't food, they're scaffolding. Double-fry is non-negotiable: 160°C cooks through, 190°C sets the crust.
Variations
Geleshan original is the chile-mountain version; Chengdu variants run drier with more peanuts; Hunan dry-fried chicken uses fresh chili instead of dried and skips the peppercorn; Xinjiang big-plate chicken (大盘鸡) is a different dish entirely despite the family resemblance.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 3
How it's made
5 steps · Show ↓25 min active · 10 min waiting
How it's made
5 steps · Show ↓- 110 min
Cut bone-in chicken thigh into 2cm cubes. Marinate with light soy, Shaoxing wine, ginger juice, salt, white pepper, egg, and cornstarch for 10 minutes.
- 28 min
Heat oil to 160°C. Deep-fry chicken cubes 4 minutes until golden. Drain. Reheat oil to 190°C and fry again for 90 seconds until edges are crisp and dark.
Watch outEnsure oil is at the correct temperature to avoid greasy chicken.
- 31 min
Drain oil from wok, leave 2 tablespoons. Toss in 60g dried red chiles (Erjingtiao or Chao Tian Jiao), 2 tablespoons whole Sichuan peppercorns. Stir until fragrant — about 30 seconds. Don't burn.
Watch outWatch closely to prevent burning the spices, which can turn bitter.
- 42 min
Add minced ginger, garlic, scallion white. Return chicken to wok. Toss everything together with a final dash of light soy and sugar. Plate immediately.
Watch outMake sure to toss quickly to prevent burning the garlic.
- 50 min
Garnish with chopped scallion green and toasted sesame. Eaters dig out chicken cubes with chopsticks; chiles are decorative, not eaten directly.
