Bang bang chicken from “Sheet Pan Chicken” by Cathy Erway

This Sichuan-inspired dinner is full of tongue-tingling spice from chile oil and oodles of umami courtesy of soy sauce and Chinese black vinegar.

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or any other bone-in, skin-on pieces

1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 (1-inch) pieces fresh ginger, peeled and julienned

Steamed rice; cooked Asian wheat noodles, soba noodles, or bean thread noodles; or shredded lettuce for serving

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned

1/2cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

2 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias

1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped

Instructions: Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Rub the chicken with the sesame oil, salt and white pepper. Gently slide your finger underneath the skin of each breast to loosen it from the meat a bit (this will encourage the skin to crisp up in the oven). Place the chicken on a sheet pan, skin-side up. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken skin is nicely crisped and a kitchen thermometer inserted into a breast registers 165 degrees.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the chile oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and ginger. Set aside.

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a flat surface that’s heat-proof or protected with hot pads. Slowly press down on each chicken piece with a rolling pin and roll along its length so the meat breaks and shreds apart a bit. If preferred, remove and discard the bones. Scrape the pan to collect any browned bits and juices and add them to your sauce.

Place the rice, noodles or shredded lettuce in a large serving dish and set the banged-up chicken pieces on top; otherwise, put the chicken directly in the serving dish. Scatter the cucumber over the chicken, then pour the sauce all over. Top with the peanuts (if using), scallions and cilantro and enjoy.

Adapted from “Sheet Pan Chicken” by Cathy Erway (Ten Speed Press)

Paul Stephen moved to San Antonio from North Carolina in 2017 to join the Express-News Taste team. In that time, he's cooked through about 1,000 recipes, noshed at more than 200 restaurants and seriously considered getting a map of the city's grocery stores tattooed on his arm for easy reference. He cannot be trusted around your cookbook collection.