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Sichuan Fried Chicken Bao
30 mins Prep Time
21 mins Cook Time
Perfectly crispy and spice-laden Sichuan fried chicken, stuffed into a pillowy homemade bao and topped with Kewpie mayo, scallions and chili might be the perfect bite. Make this recipe when you're looking for an impressive cocktail appetizer that goes above and beyond a charcuterie spread. Once you've nailed the bao recipe, courtesy of Omnivore's Cookbook, feel free to get creative with various fillings for your bao.
Directions
Bao Buns
10 Steps
Step 1
Combine flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl, whisk thoroughly together. Slowly pour milk into flour, mixing with a wooden spoon until milk is fully absorbed by flour. Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead for 8 minutes until dough comes together as a firm ball.
Step 2
Set dough back into bowl and cover with plastic wrap, let rest for 10 minutes. Once again knead the dough for 1 minute until surface is smooth. Place back in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour or until double in size. When dough is rising, cut out 10 small squares of parchment paper, set aside.
Step 3
Once rested, turn dough out onto clean work surface, punch down a few times to release air bubbles and knead again for 1 minute.
Step 4
Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 10 pieces or for more accurate results, use a kitchen scale, each dough ball should be around 48 grams.
Step 5
Shape each dough ball into a round, smooth ball by pinching the loose ends to the base until taut and round. Set aside formed dough balls on a plate covered with plastic wrap.
Step 6
Working one dough ball at a time, roll each ball out with a rolling pin into an oval, measuring roughly 2.25" x 4.5". Flip dough over and briefly roll out other side to smooth out.
Step 7
Lightly oil the top surface of the oval (so the buns do not stick when being steamed) and fold the oval in half, place on parchment paper, set aside and repeat with remaining ovals.
Step 8
Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
Step 9
Once buns have risen, add them to your bamboo steamer (will likely have to work in batches). Fill a medium-sized pot with 3 inches of water and place steamer on top of pot (make sure water is not touching bottom of steamer). Turn heat to medium, once you see steam escaping from edges of steamer, turn heat down to low and continue to steam for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit in steamer for another 5 minutes (do not remove lid).
Step 10
Once done, remove buns to a wire rack to cool. You may have to add more water for your second batch if levels have gotten too low.
Chili Oil
2 Steps
Step 1
In a small pot, add cinnamon stick, star anise and Sichuan peppercorns to 1 cup of neutral oil. Heat oil until temperature reaches 325°F. Remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain oil into a heat-proof measuring cup through a fine mesh sieve. Add red chili flakes and stir.
Step 2
In a small bowl, pour 1/4 cup of your chili oil (reserve the rest) and add 1 tablespoon of Sichuan powder (this is your oil to coat your fried chicken in).
Fried Chicken
7 Steps
Step 1
In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and Shaoxing wine together. Set aside.
Step 2
Cut each chicken thigh in half. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Add chicken to bowl of marinade, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Place cornstarch in a shallow dish and all-purpose flour in another shallow dish.
Step 4
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat neutral oil filled 1/4 of the way up to 325°F.
Step 5
After 30 minutes, remove chicken from fridge, coat in all-purpose flour (shaking off excess) and then coat in cornstarch (shaking off excess). Set aside and continue with remaining pieces.
Step 6
To fry chicken, work in two batches. For the first deep fry, fry chicken for 90 seconds or until lightly golden, remove onto a wire rack to cool. For the second deep fry, increase oil temperature to 350°F and fry for 60 seconds. Remove onto wire rack again and sprinkle with salt.
Step 7
Toss chicken in your hot chili oil, coating each piece well. Set aside.
Assembly
1 Steps
Step 1
In each bao, layer julienned cucumber and julienned daikon radish on the bottom, place 1 piece of Sichuan fried chicken, drizzle with Kewpie mayo and top with scallions, Thai chilis and sesame seeds.
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