Sichuan Lazi Ji (Chili Chicken Dry-Fry)

Overview

Lazi ji: a mountain of dried chilis with small chunks of crispy-fried chicken buried within — you search for the chicken through a haystack of chili. Named for the dried chilis (la zi) that dominate the dish visually and aromatically. A quintessential Chongqing and Chengdu dish representing the maximalist end of Sichuan chili use — the chilis are flavouring, not food.

Flavour Context

Intensely aromatic dried chili, crispy chicken, numbing-spicy, with the slight sweetness of Er Jing Tiao chili fragrance

Key Principles

{"Chicken (bone-in, small pieces) is double-fried: once at 160°C to cook through, once at 190°C to crisp","Dried Er Jing Tiao chilis: toasted in oil until fragrant and darkened but not burnt","The ratio of chili to chicken appears absurd — 3:1 by volume is not unusual","The dried chilis are for flavour and aroma — they should not be eaten in quantity"}

Pro Tips

{"Marinate chicken: soy, Shaoxing wine, ginger, white pepper before frying","Add peanuts to the final dish — they add textural contrast to the crispy chicken","Sichuan pepper mixed with the chilis adds the ma element — the dish is ma la"}

Common Mistakes

{"Burning the chilis — produces bitter, acrid flavour that ruins the dish","Single fry — chicken lacks the crispiness that makes digging through the chilis fun","Using whole large chilis — small chilis (er jing tiao or heaven-facing) are standard"}

Source

The Food of Sichuan — Fuchsia Dunlop

Cross-Cuisine Parallels

• Korean dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken)
• Thai pad krapow gai (holy basil chicken stir-fry)
• Indian achari murgh (spice-forward chicken)