Sichuan Bang Bang Chicken: Your New Fav Meal ft. DIY Chili Oil

Video Description

The greatest way to eat chicken. This Bang Bang Chicken is Sichuanese food at its finest. The best part is how easy it is to make, the perfect weeknight dinner. Say hi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheldoskitchen/ Sichuanese Bang Bang Chicken Recipe Chicken - 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (sub chicken breast) - 4 slices ginger - 2 scallions Small-Batch Chilli Oil - 1/2 cup (113g) neutral oil, such as canola, sunflower, peanut, etc. - 4 slices ginger - 2 scallions, cut into 2" segments - 1 star anise (optional) - 1 dried bay leaf (optional) - 1 small cinnamon stick (optional) - 3 tbsp Sichuan chili flakes (sub Gochugaru or Italian crushed red pepper flake) - 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds - 1/8 tsp five spice powder (optional) - 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder (sub 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper + 1/8 tsp ground coriander) Sauce - 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (sub balsamic vinegar) - 1/2 tbsp (1 1/2 tsp) sugar - 1 tbsp soy sauce - 1/2 tsp kosher salt (sub 1/4 tsp table salt) - 4 tbsp chili oil + 1 tbsp sediment (make small-batch chilli oil or use your favourite) - 1/4 tsp msg (optional) - 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder (sub 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper + 1/8 tsp ground coriander) - 1 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (sub 2 tsp tahini or peanut butter + 1 tsp toasted sesame oil) Garnish - 1/2 English cucumber, julienned - 1 scallion, cut on a bias - Toasted sesame seeds Poach Chicken 1. In a medium sized saucepan, add chicken, ginger, and scallion in a medium sized saucepan. Add enough cold water to submerge chicken by 1" of water. 2. Place on stove over medium heat. Keep cooking with the lid off, without stirring, until just barely simmering. The water should measure around 170-190F. 3. Flip chicken pieces over, turn off heat, and cover the pot. Let chicken sit in hot water for 8-10 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 165F for chicken thighs or 155F for chicken breast. 4. Remove chicken from water and set aside to cool. Small-batch Chilli Oil 1. Toast chilli flake in microwave by placing on a small plate and spreading into an even layer. Cook in microwave on high power for two 10 second increments, stirring in between. The should start smelling aromatic. 2. In a medium heat-proof bowl, combine toasted chilli flake, peppercorn powder (or use black pepper + coriander, which will approximate the flavour but not the numbing sensation), sesame seeds, and five spice powder. 3. In a small saucepan, add oil, ginger, scallion, and if using, star anise, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. 4. Place on stove over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the ginger is golden and scallions are starting to turn brown. Turn off heat and let oil cool for 3 minutes. 5. After 3 mins, use a strainer to remove aromatics from the hot oil. The oil should measure about 155-165F at this point. 6. Immediately pour 1/3 of the oil over chilli flake mixture while stirring. After ~30 seconds, pour another 1/3 of the oil into the chilli flake while stirring. Then wait another 30 seconds before pouring the remainder of the oil. 7. Let chilli oil cool and fully infuse. Cover and store at room temperature. It will taste even better the next day. Make Sauce 1. In a medium bowl, add vinegar and sugar. Mix until the sugar is pretty much fully dissolved. 2. Add in soy sauce and salt. Stir to combine. Taste the mixture and adjust. 3. Then, add in chilli oil (4 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp sediment), Sichuan peppercorn, and MSG. If not using MSG, add another 1/8 tsp salt. Taste and adjust. 4. Finally, add in Chinese sesame paste. Stir vigorously until the sesame paste is fully emulsified into the sauce. The sesame paste might lump up slightly. But if you keep whisking, everything will come together. Assemble 1. Julienne cucumbers by diagonally slicing into long slices and then cutting the slices into strips. Slice one scallion on a bias for garnish. 2. On the same cutting board, lightly pound each piece of chicken with a rolling pin to loosen the fibres. 3. Shred the chicken with your hands, trying to preserve long strands of chicken. You can also shred with two forks which will be quicker, but the texture won't be as nice. 4. Arrange cucumbers on the bottom of your serving plate. Place chicken over the cucumber base and arrange so that some cucumber shows around the side and the chicken is in an "attractive mound." 5. Pour sauce all over the chicken. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and sliced scallions. 00:00 Intro 00:20 Title 00:30 Dish intro 01:11 Substituting ingredients 02:07 Start cooking 02:30 Poach chicken 04:26 Sichuanese food intro 04:53 About the sauce 05:30 Chili oil 06:05 Chili flake comparison 07:15 Make chili oil 10:40 Make sauce 15:20 Why "Bang Bang" 15:39 Shred chicken 16:26 Prep garnish 16:39 Assemble dish 17:15 Beauty shots 17:36 Taste test 18:00 Outro 18:45 Outtakes Featured painting: “Earth’s Shore: Tofino” by Santhe LeBlanc