Sichuan-Style Vinegar-Sautéed Chicken

Name: Sichuan-Style Vinegar-Sautéed Chicken
Ingredients: 350g tender rooster breast, chicken thigh meat (pounded loose with the back of a knife, scored with cross-shaped cuts on the skinless side, cut into oblique cubes, each cube approximately 3 cm long); 200g winter bamboo shoot (cut into comb-back shape, should be slightly smaller than the chicken pieces); 35g pickled chili pepper (minced); 7g minced ginger; 7g minced garlic; 10g Sichuan white sugar; 2g refined salt; 18g Baoning vinegar; 15g chopped scallion; 10g soy sauce; 15g Shaoxing wine; 1 piece egg white; 15g soybean powder (10g for marinating, 5g for sauce making); 35g chicken broth (or clear soup); 250g rendered lard (for stir-frying)

A classic traditional Sichuan dish, where crosshatch-scored chicken pieces are stir-fried with winter bamboo shoots and pickled chili peppers, offering a perfectly balanced sweet, sour, spicy, and numbing flavor with a tender, crisp texture.

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Originating from the deep, rich culinary heritage of Sichuan province, this iconic dish has been a staple of local home cooking and celebratory banquet tables for centuries. The crosshatch cuts made on the chicken pieces allow the meat to absorb the bold, tangy sauce fully, creating a tender yet crisp texture that pairs perfectly with the dish’s signature fiery, zesty, multi-layered flavor, making it a beloved favorite for fans of the region’s distinctive, bold cooking style.

Ingredients

tender rooster breast, chicken thigh meat (pounded loose with the back of a knife, scored with cross-shaped cuts on the skinless side, cut into oblique cubes, each cube approximately 3 cm long) 350g

winter bamboo shoot (cut into comb-back shape, should be slightly smaller than the chicken pieces) 200g

pickled chili pepper (minced) 35g

minced ginger 7g

minced garlic 7g

Sichuan white sugar 10g

refined salt 2g

Baoning vinegar 18g

chopped scallion 15g

soy sauce 10g

Shaoxing wine 15g

egg white 1 piece

soybean powder (10g for marinating, 5g for sauce making) 15g

chicken broth (or clear soup) 35g

rendered lard (for stir-frying) 250g

Instructions

Prepare ingredients

Pound chicken breast and chicken thigh meat with the back of a knife to loosen. Score crosshatch cuts on the skinless side to a depth of roughly 1/3 of the meat thickness, creating a texture similar to a lychee shell, then cut into diagonal squares approximately 3cm long. Cut winter bamboo shoots into comb-back shapes, which should be slightly smaller than the chicken pieces. Finely chop pickled chilies.

Marinate and prepare sauce

Add Shaoxing wine, egg white, salt, and 10g of starch to a bowl and mix evenly, then toss with the chicken pieces to coat thoroughly. Add soy sauce, vinegar, Sichuan granulated sugar, minced ginger, minced scallion, minced garlic, clear soup, and 5g of starch to another bowl, and mix to form the seasoning sauce.

Stir-fry

Place a wok over the stove, add lard and heat to 60% heat, then add the chicken pieces. Quickly stir-fry to separate the pieces and prevent clumping, then add winter bamboo shoot pieces and pickled chili grains and stir-fry together. Pour in the prepared seasoning sauce, toss to coat evenly, then transfer to a serving dish and serve.