Sichuan Shredded Chicken with Chilli

Ingredients

• 450g skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into thin shreds
• For the marinade: 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• To stir-fry: 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp Pixian chilli bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 6 dried Chinese red chillies, snipped in half
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, finely shredded
• 3 celery sticks, cut into matchsticks
• 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
• 3 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Method

1. Mix the chicken with the marinade ingredients and leave for 15 minutes.

2. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken, spreading the shreds out, and stir-fry gently for 2 minutes until just white. Tip into a bowl.

3. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the wok on a medium heat. Fry the chilli bean paste for 30 seconds until the oil turns red.

4. Add the dried chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic and ginger and stir for 20 seconds.

5. Turn up the heat and add the celery and red pepper. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until they are hot but still crunchy.

6. Return the chicken and add the spring onions, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Toss for 1 minute until the chicken is cooked through and coated.

7. Finish with the sesame oil and serve with steamed rice.