Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Pinch sea salt
• Pinch freshly ground white pepper
• 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons Chinese yellow bean paste or yellow miso
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
• 4 whole dried Sichuan or arbol chiles
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed, left whole
• 1/2 medium white onion, chunked into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped, optional
• 1 tablespoon Shaoshing rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 large red pepper, chunked into 1-inch squares
• 4 scallions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 6 cups white jasmine rice, cooked, for serving
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• Ground chili powder or cayenne pepper, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. For the chicken: Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and white pepper in a large bowl. Add the cornstarch and mix well.
2. For the sweet sauce: Stir together the bean paste, light soy, chili sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar and dark soy in a large bowl until combined and set aside.
3. For the stir-fry: Heat a wok over high heat until it starts to smoke. Pour in the peanut oil, and then stir-fry the chiles and garlic for a few seconds. Toss in the onions and stir-fry, about 1 minute. Then add the chicken and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. As the chicken starts to turn opaque, add the peanuts, if using, and rice wine. Cook for another 3 minutes, and then pour in the sweet sauce.
4. Add the red pepper and cook the chicken in the sauce until cooked through and the sauce has reduced and become slightly sticky with a thicker consistency, about 2 minutes. Add the scallions and cook, tossing, about 30 seconds. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter.
5. Serve immediately with rice sprinkled with sesame seeds and chili powder.