Hunan Chicken (An Authentic Version)

4 standard portions

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Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thigh (, cut into 1” (2.5 cm) pieces (or breast))
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoon peanut oil ((or vegetable oil))
• 6 scallions (, sliced into 1” (2.5) pieces, white and green parts separated)
• 5 garlic cloves (, smashed and sliced)
• 1/2 ” ginger (, julienned)
• 2 tablespoons fermented black beans
• 2 stalks celery (, sliced on bias into 1/2” thick pieces)
• 2 hot chili peppers (, thinly sliced on the bias (anaheim, or Fresno etc))

Method

1. Combine chicken, Shaoxing wine, salt, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well with your hands, so the chicken is evenly covered with a thin slurry.
2. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot. Add the chicken pieces and spread into a layer without overlapping. Let sear until the bottom turns golden brown, 2 minutes or so. Flip to cook the other side until the chicken is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a big plate.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, scallion whites, garlic, ginger and fermented black beans. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute to release fragrance.
5. Add the chili pepper, celery and scallion greens. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, until just starting to turn tender.
6. Add back the chicken pieces and pour in the sauce. Cook and stir until the sauce has reduced and coats everything. Transfer everything to a big plate. Serve hot with steamed rice as a main dish.