Szechuan Marinated Half Chicken

Our Szechuan chicken packs a punch. Sichuan pepper provides a citrus, numbing heat while coriander seed add an earthy savouriness. This is a dish for those weeknights when you want something to awaken your senses with something bold and zingy.

TO COOK

Cook the Szechuan chicken on a grill over a medium heat, turning often, for 25-30 minutes. Alternatively, roast the chicken in a preheated oven at 180C for 22-25 minutes.

TO SERVE

This chicken is wonderful carved then served over steamed rice or noodles and some stir fried gai lan or pak choi. The juices left from resting will make a delicious sauce, particularly with a squeeze of lime juice.

What is Szechuan chicken?

There are a variety of delicious ways to make Szechuan chicken. Ours uses zingy and fresh Szechuan pepper for a gentle, aromatic heat and is made to be barbequed. The chicken is coated in a Szechuan seasoning made with toasted peppercorns, chilli, cumin and fennel seeds. Other varieties of Szechuan chicken use deep fried chicken thighs coated in an aromatic and spicy pepper sauce.

Where is Szechuan?

This dish is inspired by the cuisine of the Sichuan province of south western China. There, food is highly spiced with fragrant chillies and Szechuan pepper.

What does Szechuan sauce taste like?

The pepper in Szechuan sauce has a famous citrus kick and a gentle numbing heat. Paired with chillies, soy, garlic and ginger, this sauce has a deep umami flavour that is delicious served with a variety of proteins. To learn how to make Szechuan sauce, we recommend using a chilli oil to add a flavoursome kick to its base.

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