Orange-Sichuan Pepper Chicken
The orange chicken found in many take-out Chinese restaurants is a popular dish, but too often the chicken is fried in a doughy matter and the sauce is “sickly sweet,” Sarah Tiong writes in her cookbook, “Modern Asian.” Her version here pays tribute to that dish, but elevates it with unbattered, pan-fried bone-in chicken, whole spices and just a touch of sweetness from fresh orange juice. Thanks to the Sichuan pepper, “you get a little tongue tingle, too.” Want less heat? Reduce or eliminate it. You can use chicken thighs or legs, a combination of both, or chicken quarters (see Notes) for this recipe.
Notes: Tiong prefers using chicken quarters, with the thigh and drumstick attached. If you do use them, expect to use 2 to 3 and to roast the dish about 10 minutes longer.
You can buy ground Sichuan pepper or use black pepper, if you prefer.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days; to freeze, remove the orange slices and freeze just the chicken and the sauce for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks (3 to 3 1/2 pounds total; see NOTES)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided, plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons five-spice powder (see related recipe or store-bought)
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons neutral oil, such as canola
- 1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces), halved and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 8 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground using a mortar and pestle (see NOTES)
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 stick cinnamon
- Generous 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 large orange)
- Scant 3 tablespoons chili sauce, preferably ABC brand preferred
- 1 large orange, thinly sliced
- Steamed rice, for serving (optional)
Directions
Step 1
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Step 2
Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle it with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the five-spice powder and massage the seasonings into the meat.
Step 3
In a large, oven-safe frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving it until it turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. (The chicken will splatter, so a screen is useful here.) Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving any fat in the pan.
Step 4
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining salt, Sichuan pepper, star anise and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the orange juice and chili sauce until fully incorporated and bring to a simmer.
Step 5
Return the chicken to the skillet, arranging it skin-side up in the sauce, then nestle the orange slices around the meat. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the sauce is reduced and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat (away from the bone) registers at least 165 degrees, about 20 minutes.
Step 6
Transfer the chicken to a platter and spoon the orange slices, spices and sauce over the pieces. (Remove and discard the star anise pods and cinnamon stick as you come across them, if desired.) Serve with rice, if desired.
