Stir-Fried Chicken with Crispy Spinach

3 lbs. Chicken thighs
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
4 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoon rice wine
2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili oil
1/2 lb fresh spinach leaves, stemmed
2 cups peanut oil
3 Tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 lb red bell peppers, cut into 2-inch squares
6 green onions, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoon oriental sesame oil

Pull skin off chicken thigh. Cut along one side of thighbone, scraping to expose bone. Starting at first cut, cut along other side of bone, scraping to free meat in one piece. Repeat with remaining thighs. Cut thigh meat into 1-inch pieces. Place in shallow dish. Mix soy sauce, cornstarch, rice wine, sugar, salt and chili oil in small bowl. Stir marinade into chicken. Cover and let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.

Rinse spinach. Spin in salad spinner or pat with kitchen towels until completely dry. Heat oil in wok. Add 1 handful of spinach leaves and cook until oil stops sputtering and leaves are deep green and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels using a wok skimmer; drain. Repeat frying with remaining spinach leaves in batches, allowing oil to return to 375 degrees between each batch. Pour off all but 2 Tablespoons oil from wok. Heat oil in wok over high heat just until smoking. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add chicken with marinade and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add bell peppers, then green onions and ground pepper and stir-fry until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Mix in sesame oil. Transfer chicken to platter. Surround with deep fried spinach leaves. Serve immediately. An interesting and tasteful dish.

*Sometimes I combine a little broth, black beans and chili paste and add this to the final step.