Instructions

Prep:

1. Marinate the chicken: Clean the chicken thigh fillets and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add to a medium bowl, followed by the low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, kosher salt, potato starch and sesame oil. Mix well to combine. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Make the sauce: Combine the low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, white sugar, potato starch, sesame oil, pure chili oil (if using) and water in a small measuring cup (for easier pouring) or bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined and set aside.
3. Prepare the fresh and dry ingredients: Chop the spring onion (separating the white and light green parts from the dark green parts), garlic, ginger, fresh red chilies and broccoli as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Measure the pickled chilies sauce and use a small fine mesh strainer to strain out most of the liquid and discard. (A little liquid is fine, but too much will make the dish too salty.)

For the Chili Garlic Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry:

1. Blanch the broccoli: Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli florets and turn the heat down to medium-high. Blanch for 1 minute, then drain into a colander and run cold water over the broccoli to halt the cooking process.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large wok (or heavy bottomed deep edged frying pan) over high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and immediately spread the pieces out in the wok. Allow to sear for 30 seconds, then stir-fry for 30-40 seconds or until 80% cooked. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a fine mesh strainer held above the wok so that the excess oil drips back down into it. Place the strainer on top of a clean bowl and set aside.
3. Sauté the dou ban jiang. Heat the oil in the wok over medium-low heat. Add the dou ban jiang and sauté for 20 seconds until shiny and you can smell it.
4. Stir-fry the aromatics: Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the spring onion white and light green parts, garlic, ginger, fresh red chilies and picked chilies. Stir-fry for 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Add the broccoli: Add the broccoli to the wok and toss briefly to combine.
6. Add the chicken and sauce: Give the sauce a quick stir with a spoon to loosen up the starch that will have settled at the bottom. Add the chicken and pour the sauce over everything. Stir-fry for 1 minute until the sauce thickens and coats everything well.
7. Toss through spring onion. Toss through most of the spring onion dark green parts (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish). Switch off the heat.
8. To Serve: Transfer to a serving plate or dish. Garnish with the reserved spring onion spring onion dark green parts and toasted white sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately with warm steamed rice.