Sichuan cooking is known for its bold and spicy flavors, with garlic and chili peppers often playing a starring role. This chicken stir-fry is a less-fiery version of General Tso's chicken, a classic Chinese dish that combines cubed chicken with peanuts, Sichuan peppercorns and handfuls of fried chili peppers in a spicy sauce.
There's still a touch of heat in this recipe from "The Shun Lee Cookbook," thanks to some Thai or cayenne pepper. What makes it addictive is the flavorful sauce, made with minced sweet gherkin pickles, sugar, vinegar and soy, with a dash of hot bean paste adding umami. It coats the twice-cooked chicken in a slippery, spicy-sweet glaze that is so good, you may want to double the recipe so you have more than enough.
Cooking tip: Make sure you have all ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking, because once the oil is hot, this dish comes together very quickly. Serve with steamed white rice.
