Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 pound boneless chicken, cubed
• 3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons chicken stock
• 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons Chinese dark soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 12 dried hot red chilies, stemmed, halved and seeded
• 4 scallions, white part only, thickly sliced
• 1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
• ½ inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• ½ cup shelled peanuts
• Rice

Instructions:

1. Mix together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce in a medium bowl.  Add the chicken and toss well and set aside for 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Mix together the remaining soy sauce, rice wine; sugar, stock, vinegar, sesame oil and dark say sauce and set aside.
3. Heat the peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke.  Add chilies and stir-fry for 5 seconds.  Add marinated chicken, scallions, garlic and ginger and stir-fry until chicken is pale golden, 3-5 minutes.
4. Add soy sauce mixture and fry until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.  Stir in peanuts.  Serve over rice.

Comments: This Sichuan dish is only moderately spicy.