Directions

1. Add the chicken, 5 cups of water, 4 scallions, and ginger slices to a stock pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat. I used a piece of boneless chicken breast and two chicken leg quarters. You can use one of the cuts if you want. I used both because I prefer dark meat, but my husband likes chicken breast.
   
2. While waiting, add a drizzle of oil to a saucepan along with 1 tbsp of Sichuan peppercorns and 1/4 cup of dried red chilies and stir over low heat for a few minutes.
   
3. Remove the chilies from the saucepan, but leave the oil behind. Let the chili and Sichuan peppercorns cool on the cutting board.
   
4. To the saucepan, add 1 tbsp of chili powder and some diced Thai bird-eye chilies and stir well. Sichuan recipes like to use dried and fresh, mild , and spicy chilies to make the dish more complex in all dimensions. You can adjust the amount depending on your tolerance.
   

5. Turn off the heat and add 3 Tbsp of soy sauce, 1 Tbsp of oyster sauce, and 2 tsp of brown sugar. Mix well and set the sauce aside.

   
6. By now, the chicken pot should have come to a boil. Skim off the scum that is floating on top of the water. Switch the heat to low and continue to cook the chicken for 8 more minutes.
   
7. During this time, press the Sichuan peppercorn with a heavy-duty cleaver, then chop as fine as possible. They are very crispy after toasted, so they should crush easily. If you don't have a cleaver, a mortal and pestle will do the same job. Once done, roughly dice the chilies. This is called 刀口辣椒, which means peppers under the blade. It provides a numbing effect, a complex citrus aroma and a nutty, smoky taste. Set it aside.
   
8. Besides that, you will also need to dice some scallions, cilantro, and garlic, and set everything aside.
   
9. By now, the chicken should be simmered for about 8 minutes. Move it off the stove, but let the chicken sit in the hot water for 12-15 minutes. The rest of the heat will continue to cook the chicken through.
   
10. At this point, we will fill a separate pot with water and heat it over medium heat. We will use it to boil the noodles later.
    
11. Check back on the chicken by poking the thickest part of the meat. If there is no pink juice coming out, the chicken is safe to eat. Take the chicken out of the pot and chill it in the ice bath for a few minutes to cool completely.
    
12. You will have a big pot of chicken cooking liquid left. Don't waste it. Instead, we will turn it into Shanghai Noodle Soup. Discard the scallion and ginger slices. Use a sieve to remove any impurities.
    
13. Season the broth with 3 Tbsps of soy sauce, 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of ground white pepper, some diced scallion, and 2 Tbsps of pork lard, which adds a rich flavor and makes this noodle soup Shanghai style. Even though the broth has been sitting for 15 minutes, it is still very hot. If your stock is too cold, you may need to reheat it in order for the lard to melt. Set it aside for now.
    
14. Take the chicken out of the ice water and use paper towels to wipe the excess moisture. Debone the chicken leg and cut the meat into small bite-size pieces, and pull the chicken breast into bite-size shreds. You can remove the skin if you want, but as a native Cantonese, I love the texture of the skin, so I will keep it.
    
15. Place the chicken into a big serving bowl. Add diced scallions and cilantro. Pour in the seasoning sauce. Sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds, the minced garlic, and the dao kou la jiao (chopped Sichuan peppercorns and chilies). Heat 3 tbsp of oil to smoking hot and pour it on the chilies and pepperconrs to activate the flavors. Mix thoroughly. This is the key step to making your house smell amazing. It literally feels like I am in a Sichuan restaurant. By the way, this is actually a cold dish, so you do not need to reheat the chicken. Set it aside for now.
    
16. We are going to cook the noodles. This recipe is enough to serve three people, so you will need three servings of noodles. I am using these dried oriental noodles, but other types will also work.
    
17. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook until al dente. The cooking time depends on the type and thickness of the noodles; please follow the instructions on the package. Mine took about 3 minutes to boil. Toss in some green leafy vegetables to add some fiber into your diet, making this meal lighter and healthy.
    
18. Ocne the noodles are cooked to your desired doneness, transfer them into the chicken broth and there you have it—a delicious meal that is well balanced with proteins, vegetables, and carbs. The noodle soup is simple but really comforting.
    
19. Optionally, I like to add a runny yolk tea egg, which I made not so long ago. You can check the recipe right here. If you don't have tea eggs, a sunny side or over-easy fried egg will also work.