MuDan’s Garden-to-Table Sichuan Mouthwatering Chicken

A Homestead Sichuan Mouthwatering Chicken

A Tough Kraut Garden-to-Table Recipe

From our Portuguese homestead to the table. One chicken, one cucumber, a handful of herbs, and Sichuan peppercorns we grew ourselves.

The Soul of the Dish

An iconic Chinese flavor, Sichuan peppercorns combined with garlic and Egyptian Walking Onion create the familiar mix of numbing, spicy, sour, and fragrant flavors.

This summer, with the sunshine of Central Portugal, the garden at our homestead rewards us with plenty of cucumbers, chilies, parsley, Egyptian Walking Onions, and Sichuan peppercorns.

At Tough Kraut, we believe in Garden-to-Table. It is not about making life look perfect, but about bringing food as close as possible to where it truly comes from: the land.

So this is not a copy of traditional Sichuan Mouthwatering Chicken.

This is MuDan’s homestead version.

MuDan’s Sichuan Mouthwatering Chicken, finished with fresh herbs, chilies, sesame seeds, and peppercorns grown on our homestead.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken or 4 chicken thighs, preferably free-range or local

• 1 large cucumber

• 3–4 Egyptian Walking Onions (Allium × proliferum)

• 1 small handful fresh parsley

• 4–5 cloves garlic

• 1–1½ tbsp freshly harvested Sichuan peppercorns, or dried Sichuan peppercorns (Zanthoxylum simulans)

• Fresh chili, according to taste

Egyptian Walking Onions growing in our greenhouse and garden before a handful of greens make their way into MuDan’s chicken dish.

For the Sauce

• 1 tbsp homemade or good-quality chili oil, or up to 3 tbsp according to your preferred spice level

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1½ tbsp Chinese black vinegar

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1–2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

• 2 tbsp reserved chicken broth

• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

• 2 tbsp finely sliced Egyptian Walking Onion greens

• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated

• ½–1 tsp freshly toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns from our own garden

• Pinch of salt, if needed

1. Cook the Chicken Gently

Bring a wok of water to a boil.

Add:

• 2 Egyptian Walking Onion greens or stalks

• 3 slices ginger

• ½ tsp dried Sichuan peppercorns

• A small pinch of salt

• 1 bay leaf

Once the water comes to a boil, place the chicken in the wok, cover it, and wait for the water to come to a boil again. Then reduce the heat to medium and simmer.

For chicken thighs, cook gently until just done, then turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the hot broth for another 10–15 minutes.

The goal is silky, juicy chicken, not aggressively boiled chicken.

Bone-in, skin-on chicken is particularly good for this dish because it produces a richer broth and helps keep the meat moist.

2. Give the Chicken a Cold Shock

Remove the chicken and immediately place it into very cold or iced water.

Leave it for several minutes.

Then drain and pat dry.

This little step is important.

It stops the cooking, keeps the chicken juicy, and helps the skin become pleasantly springy.

Chill the chicken until completely cool.

3. Prepare the Garden Cucumber

This is where the Tough Kraut version starts becoming different.

Instead of simply slicing the cucumber, lightly smash it.

Place the cucumber on a cutting board and gently crush it with the side of a cleaver or rolling pin. Then tear or cut it into irregular pieces.

Sprinkle with a small amount of salt and leave for about 10 minutes.

Drain away the excess water.

This approach is inspired by the Tough Kraut garden-grown Pai Huang Gua, Chinese smashed cucumber salad, where the cucumber is treated as a major ingredient rather than simply decoration.

The result should be:

crisp + juicy + slightly salty + refreshing

Exactly what the rich chicken sauce needs.

4. Make the MuDan Peppercorn Sauce

This is the soul of the dish.

And this is where our own peppercorns become the star.

Lightly toast ½–1 teaspoon of our freshly harvested Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan over low heat. Do not burn them.

When they become intensely fragrant, remove them and grind them.

In a bowl, combine:

• 1 tbsp chili oil

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

• 1 tbsp black vinegar

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tbsp finely chopped red chili

• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

• 1 tbsp chicken broth

• 1 tsp ground dried Sichuan pepper

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

• 2 tbsp Egyptian Walking Onion

• 1 tbsp parsley

Give it a good mix.

Taste.

You are looking for the classic Sichuan balance:

麻 — Numbing

辣 — Spicy

酸 — Sour

甜 — Sweet

咸 — Savory

香 — Aromatic

The peppercorn should not simply make the sauce “hot.”

It should create that characteristic tingling, citrusy, floral sensation that makes you want another bite.

5. Build the Plate

Start with the smashed cucumber.

Arrange the chilled chicken over the cucumber.

Then spoon the sauce generously over the chicken.

Finish with:

• Fresh Egyptian Walking Onion greens

• Chopped parsley

• Toasted sesame seeds

• A few whole toasted Sichuan peppercorns

• A little chili oil

MuDan’s Peppercorn Storage Methods

I recommend placing some freshly picked Sichuan peppercorns in an airtight container and storing them in the refrigerator for immediate use.

Our freshly harvested Sichuan peppercorns drying on a bamboo rack, ready for cooking, grinding, and storing for later use.

It is also good to air-dry the peppercorns and store them in a dry, airtight glass jar. They will keep for 1–2 years.

For seasoning, let the peppercorns air-dry, grind them into a powder, and store the powder in a spice jar.

Sprinkling a little Sichuan peppercorn powder on your dish will give it a whole new flavor.

Bring a little more of MuDan’s homestead kitchen into your own home. Visit MuDan’s Pantry & Apothecary to discover her selected resources for cooking, preserving, growing, and making the most of what comes from the garden.