Duck fat renders at 375°F while chicken oil burns at 350°F—this temperature gap creates the crispiest coating physics allows.
Chili Fried Chicken
Get ready to indulge in a spicy sensation with our Chili Fried Chicken, a crispy delight that packs a punch! Coated in a fiery blend of chili spices and buttermilk for that perfect crunch, this dish will have your taste buds dancing. Dive into this flavor explosion and elevate your chicken game like never before!
The Story
This bastard child of Kentucky's Colonel Sanders and Sichuan province's ma la madness was birthed in 1990s Los Angeles when Taiwanese night market vendors discovered American double-frying techniques—they kept the buttermilk Baptist tradition but swapped boring paprika for numbing Sichuan peppercorns and roasted chilies, creating fried chicken that'll simultaneously comfort your Southern soul and assault your sinuses with proper Chinese fire.
Regional Twist
In Taiwan's Shilin Night Market, they triple the toasted Sichuan peppercorns and add fermented black beans to the duck fat mixture, creating a darker, funkier coating that locals call 'thunder chicken.'
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 cup (237 ml) duck fat
- as needed none evercrisp dredge
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) roasted chilies
- 10 pieces whole chicken
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 2 cups (454 g) buttermilk
- as needed none oil
- toasted sichuan peppercorns (to taste)
- vinegar powder (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Marinate the chicken in buttermilk for 12 to 24 hours.
- 2
Make a spice mix by blending roasted chilies, toasted Sichuan peppercorns, and vinegar powder until dust-like.
- 3
Prepare duck fat chili oil by combining the spice mix with duck fat.
- 4
Coat the marinated chicken in Evercrisp dredge.
- 5
Heat oil to 350°F, then add chicken to maintain a temperature of 325°F.
- 6
Fry chicken for 8 minutes for breasts, 5 minutes for wings, and 9 minutes for drumsticks and thighs.
- 7
Let chicken rest on a wire rack and fry a second time for about 3 minutes.
- 8
Dunk the fried chicken in duck fat chili oil before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Double-fry at 325°F because the first fry cooks the interior while the second fry at the same temperature creates maximum crispiness by dehydrating the crust without overcooking the meat.technique325°F double-fry
- ✓Toast Sichuan peppercorns for 2-3 minutes in a dry pan until fragrant to activate their numbing compounds (hydroxy-alpha-sanshool) which intensifies their tingling sensation by 300%.ingredient2-3 minutes toasting
- ✓Marinate chicken in buttermilk for exactly 12-24 hours because the lactic acid breaks down proteins for tenderness, but beyond 24 hours creates a mushy texture from over-tenderization.timing12-24 hours
- ✓Blend your chili-peppercorn mixture to dust-like consistency because particles smaller than 100 microns adhere better to the duck fat and create more even heat distribution when coating the chicken.technique<100 microns
- ✓Rest fried chicken on a wire rack for exactly 3 minutes between fries to allow internal steam to escape while maintaining crust structure, preventing sogginess during the second fry.timing3 minutes
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