Spicy Szechuan Garlic Fried Chicken

Imperial June 16, 2026June 16, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours, including 4 hours marinating

Quick Ingredients

Chicken: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Marinade: 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
Coating: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
Frying: 6 cups neutral oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
Szechuan finish: 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns, 20 dried red chilies, 6 sliced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 4 scallions, 1 tablespoon doubanjiang, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon chili flakes, 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon sugar
Garnish: 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds and extra sliced scallions

Do This

1. Marinate chicken in buttermilk, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic, ginger, salt, and white pepper for exactly 4 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Toast 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns for 2 minutes, grind, and use part in the coating and part in the finishing spice.
3. Mix the flour coating, drizzle in 3 tablespoons marinade to make craggy bits, dredge chicken well, and rest 15 minutes.
4. Heat oil to 325 degrees F and fry chicken in batches for 4 minutes, then rest on a rack.
5. Increase oil to 375 degrees F and fry again for 1 to 2 minutes, until deeply golden and 165 degrees F inside.
6. Stir-fry dried chilies, garlic, ginger, scallions, doubanjiang, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and sesame oil for 1 minute.
7. Toss fried chicken with the hot chili-garlic finish, ground Sichuan peppercorn spice, sesame seeds, and scallions; serve immediately.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Bold mala flavor: Sichuan peppercorns bring that signature tingly, numbing finish, while dried chilies add deep, fragrant heat.
Extra-crisp coating: A flour and cornstarch dredge plus a quick double-fry gives the chicken a crunchy shell that can handle the sauce.
Restaurant-style at home: The chili-garlic toss feels dramatic and special, but every step is manageable in a home kitchen.
Flexible heat level: Keep it fiery with the chili seeds, or shake some out for a warmer, more balanced version.

Grocery List

Meat: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Produce: Garlic, fresh ginger, scallions
Dairy: Buttermilk
Pantry: Soy sauce, Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, fine sea salt, ground white pepper, paprika, garlic powder, neutral frying oil, Sichuan peppercorns, dried red chilies, doubanjiang, Chinkiang black vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, chili flakes, sugar, toasted sesame seeds

Full Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, dry sherry, or rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Crispy Coating

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns, from the peppercorns toasted in Step 1
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons chicken marinade, drizzled into the dry coating to create craggy bits

For Frying

6 cups neutral high-heat oil, such as peanut, canola, vegetable, or rice bran oil

Szechuan Chili-Garlic Finish

1 tablespoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
20 dried red chilies, such as Chinese facing heaven chilies, tien tsin chilies, or chiles de arbol
2 tablespoons neutral oil, taken from the frying oil after cooking
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 tablespoon doubanjiang, also called Sichuan chili bean paste
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinkiang black vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Finishing Spice and Garnish

1 tablespoon Chinese chili flakes or crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Remaining ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns from Step 1
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens

Spicy Szechuan Garlic Fried Chicken – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Toast and grind the Sichuan peppercorns

Place 1 tablespoon whole Sichuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 2 minutes, shaking the pan often, until the peppercorns smell citrusy and floral. Do not let them blacken; they should be fragrant, not smoky.

Transfer the toasted peppercorns to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to a fine powder. If you want a smoother finish, pass the powder through a fine-mesh sieve and discard any gritty husks. You will use 1 teaspoon in the flour coating and the remainder in the finishing spice.

Step 2: Marinate the chicken

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper. Add the chicken pieces and stir until every piece is well coated.

Cover and refrigerate for exactly 4 hours. This gives the chicken time to season and tenderize without becoming too soft. If needed, you can marinate for as little as 1 hour or as long as 12 hours, but 4 hours gives the best balance of flavor and texture.

Step 3: Mix the coating and dredge the chicken

In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the chicken marinade into the dry coating. Use your fingertips to rub the liquid into the flour mixture until small, uneven clumps form. These little clumps are what create the rugged, crunchy fried chicken crust.

Lift the chicken pieces out of the marinade one at a time, letting excess marinade drip back into the bowl. Press each piece firmly into the flour mixture until fully coated on all sides. Place the coated chicken on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. This short rest helps the coating hydrate and stick during frying.

Step 4: Heat the oil and prepare your frying station

Pour 6 cups neutral oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep, heavy-bottomed pot. The oil should be at least 2 inches deep and the pot should not be more than halfway full. Set a clean wire rack over a sheet pan for draining the fried chicken.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 325 degrees F. Use a deep-fry thermometer or instant-read thermometer clipped to the side of the pot. Adjust the burner as needed to keep the oil steady; stable oil temperature is one of the biggest keys to crisp, non-greasy chicken.

Step 5: First-fry the chicken

Working in 3 to 4 batches, carefully lower the coated chicken into the 325 degrees F oil. Do not crowd the pot; each piece should have room to bubble freely. Fry each batch for 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the coating is set and pale golden.

Transfer the chicken to the wire rack. At this stage, the chicken should be mostly cooked but not deeply browned. Let each batch rest while you finish frying the remaining chicken. The rest helps moisture redistribute and prepares the crust for the second fry.

Step 6: Fry again for a shatteringly crisp crust

Increase the oil temperature to 375 degrees F. Return the chicken to the oil in batches and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the coating is deep golden brown, crisp, and craggy. The internal temperature of the thickest chicken pieces must reach 165 degrees F.

Transfer the chicken back to the rack. Let it drain for 2 minutes while you prepare the chili-garlic finish. For the crispiest result, do not place the hot chicken on paper towels for long; paper towels can trap steam and soften the crust.

Step 7: Build the Szechuan chili-garlic finish

Carefully measure 2 tablespoons of the hot frying oil into a large wok or wide skillet. Set it over medium heat. Snip the 20 dried red chilies in half with kitchen scissors and shake out some of the seeds if you prefer a more moderate heat level. Add the dried chilies to the skillet and stir for 20 to 30 seconds, just until they darken slightly and smell toasty.

Add the sliced garlic, minced ginger, and the white parts of the scallions. Stir constantly for 30 to 45 seconds, keeping the aromatics moving so the garlic does not burn. Add 1 tablespoon doubanjiang and stir for 20 seconds to bloom its chili-bean flavor in the oil.

Stir in 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. The mixture will sizzle and become glossy almost immediately. Keep the heat at medium so the sauce coats the chicken without reducing into a sticky, hard glaze.

Step 8: Toss, season, and serve

In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon chili flakes, 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and the remaining ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns. This is your finishing spice, and it gives the chicken its salty, spicy, numbing final layer.

Add the hot fried chicken to the skillet with the chili-garlic finish. Toss for 30 to 45 seconds, just until the chicken is glossy and speckled with garlic, ginger, and chili. Sprinkle in the finishing spice, toasted sesame seeds, and scallion greens, then toss once more.

Serve immediately while the coating is at its crunchiest. The whole dried chilies are mainly there to perfume the oil and make the dish dramatic; they are edible, but very spicy, so guests can eat around them if they like.

Pro Tips

Use chicken thighs for the juiciest result: Boneless skinless thighs stay tender through the double-fry and hold up well to the bold seasoning.
Control the heat with the chilies: For a gentler version, cut the dried chilies open and shake out most of the seeds before stir-frying. For extra heat, leave the seeds in and add another 1 teaspoon chili flakes.
Do not skip the coating rest: Letting the dredged chicken sit for 15 minutes helps the flour hydrate and prevents the crust from sliding off in the oil.
Keep the oil temperature steady: If the oil drops below 310 degrees F during the first fry, pause between batches and let it climb back up. If it gets too hot, the crust can brown before the chicken cooks through.
Toss quickly at the end: The Szechuan finish should coat the chicken, not soak it. A fast toss keeps the crust crisp and the flavors bright.

Variations

Extra-saucy Szechuan fried chicken: Double the soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, honey, and sesame oil in the chili-garlic finish. Toss just before serving for a glossier, stickier coating.
Air-fryer shortcut: Spray the dredged chicken generously with oil and air-fry at 400 degrees F for 14 to 16 minutes, turning halfway, until 165 degrees F inside. The texture will be lighter and less craggy than deep-fried, but still flavorful.
Bone-in version: Use 3 pounds bone-in chicken wings or drumettes. Fry at 325 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, then fry again at 375 degrees F for 2 to 3 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Storage & Make-Ahead

This fried chicken is best eaten immediately after tossing with the Szechuan chili-garlic finish. To store leftovers, cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a wire rack set over a sheet pan in a 400 degrees F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or in an air fryer at 375 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes, until hot and re-crisped. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it softens the coating.

For make-ahead prep, marinate the chicken up to 12 hours in advance, mix the dry coating up to 2 days ahead, and slice the garlic, ginger, and scallions up to 1 day ahead. Wait to dredge and fry until just before serving for the best crunch.

Nutrition (per serving)