Hot and Numbing Sichuan Chicken Salad (Bang Bang Ji Si) Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Sep. 16, 2020
20150525-bang-bang-chicken-sichuan-recipe-18.jpg
Mysterious-flavored chicken is one of my favorite cold Sichuan appetizers. J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Why It Works

  • Cooking the chicken sous-vide allows you to cook it to a lower temperature than traditional methods, guaranteeing moister meat while maintaining food safety standards.
  • Adding aromatics to the sous-vide bags packs the chicken with flavor before you even begin to dress it.

Whether you call it Bang Bang Chicken (named after the sound that a pounding mallet makes when tenderizing the tough chicken breasts of yesteryear) or Mysterious Flavor Chicken, this classic cold Sichuan chicken salad dressed with Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, sesame, and chili oil, can be updated using a few modern techniques. Cooking the chicken breasts directly in a bag with aromatics guarantees ultra-moist and flavor-packed chicken without the need for any banging at all.

Recipe Facts

4.5

(4)

Active: 20 mins
Total: 90 mins
Serves: 3 to 4 servings

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Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 pounds whole bone-in, skin-on split chicken breast halves (2 to 3 breast halves)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed, divided

  • 6 whole scallions, 2 roughly chopped, 4 thinly sliced at a sharp bias

  • 1 (1-inch) knob peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced

  • 2 teaspoons toasted whole Sichuan peppercorns

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 2 teaspoons black or plain sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

  • 1 tablespoon sesame paste, preferably Chinese

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 4 teaspoons Chinkiang or black vinegar

  • 1/4 cup chili oil with sediment (see notes)

Directions

  1. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken in zipper-lock bags or vacuum bags and add half of garlic, roughly chopped scallions, and all of ginger. Remove air from zipper-lock bags by closing the bags, leaving the last inch of the top un-sealed. Slowly lower into a pot of water, sealing the bag completely just before it fully submerges. If using a vacuum bag, seal according to manufacturer instructions.

  2. If Cooking in a Sous-Vide Precision Cooker: Preheat a sous-vide cooker to 150°F. Add chicken and cook for at least 1 hour and up to 4. Transfer to an ice bath and let chill for 15 minutes.

  3. If Cooking in a Cooler: Heat 2 quarts of water in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it registers 155°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a small cooler, add chicken, and seal cooler. Cook for at least 1 hour and up to 4, topping up with boiling water as necessary to maintain temperature of 150°F. Transfer to an ice bath and let chill for 15 minutes.

  4. While chicken cooks, grind Sichuan peppercorns in a mortar and pestle until a rough powder is formed. Add sugar, remaining 3 cloves garlic, and sesame seeds and pound until a rough paste is formed. Add sesame paste, soy sauce, and vinegar and pound until a smooth paste is formed. Stir in chili oil and sediment. Set dressing aside.

  5. When chicken is cooked, remove from bags and discard garlic, scallions, and ginger. Stir 2 tablespoons of juices from the bag into the dressing. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Shred meat and transfer to a large bowl. Add dressing and sliced scallions. Toss chicken to coat in dressing and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled with more scallions and sesame seeds and drizzled with additional chili oil if desired.

Special equipment

Sous vide precision cooker or a small beer cooler

Notes

Chili oil with sediment can be found in most Chinese supermarkets. Alternatively make your own by toasted 1/4 cup of dried ground Sichuan or Korean chilies in a dry wok until fragrant. Add 1/2 cup of neutral oil like canola and heat until lightly bubbling. Immediately transfer to a cool pot and let rest until cool. Chili oil can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator indefinitely.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
555 Calories
37g Fat
8g Carbs
47g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 555
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g 47%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 165mg 55%
Sodium 704mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 47g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 69mg 5%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 505mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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