Ingredients

• 3 whole star anise
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine (or sherry)
• ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
• 4 chicken legs, skin on
• 3 medium garlic cloves, smashed
• 6 slices fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, lightly toasted and ground
• ½ cup chicken stock

Preparation

Whisk together star anise, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and rice wine in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Place a large wok over high heat. When it starts to smoke, pour in oil. Swirl oil around, and then add chicken legs skin side down. Adjust heat to medium-high and cook undisturbed until they are browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken legs, and add garlic and ginger. Continue cooking until the other side is browned, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add Sichuan peppercorns, soy sauce mixture, and chicken stock. Toss chicken pieces with sauce. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Then cover the work, reduce heat to low, and cook until juices run clear in the legs, about 10 minutes. Remove legs and set aside on a plate.

Turn heat to medium-high, and reduce sauce until it lightly coats the back of a spoon, stirring often. Serve chicken legs with sauce. Pair with white rice or broccoli.

Nick Kindlesperger, Serious Eats