Dice boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1/2-inch cubes. For more tender meat, flip each thigh smooth side down and lightly pound the back with the dull edge of your knife before dicing. This loosens the muscle fibers and makes the protein softer when you chew it.

Add the diced chicken to a bowl with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, salt, white sugar, MSG, and ground white pepper. Work the marinade into the meat with your hands for 2-3 minutes, squeezing it through your fingers. This deep tissue massage further breaks down the muscle fibers.

Add cornstarch and mix until the chicken feels evenly coated and slightly sticky. Then add the neutral oil and stir it in to keep the pieces from clumping together during stir-frying. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge.

In a small bowl, combine white sugar, MSG, ground white pepper, salt, and cornstarch. Pour in light soy sauce, chicken broth (or water), Shaoxing cooking wine, and white distilled vinegar. Whisk everything together until the dry seasonings are fully dissolved. The cornstarch goes directly into the sauce since the quantity is too small for a separate slurry. You can make this several days in advance and store it covered in the fridge.

Cut dried red chilis into 1/2-inch pieces using kitchen scissors. Shake the pile around to remove most of the seeds. The seeds are basically flavorless; most of the heat comes from the inner membrane. Removing the seeds keeps the dish cleaner and controls the heat level.

Mince the garlic and ginger. Slice the white sections of the scallions into 1/2-inch pieces. Set these aside separately since they go into the wok at different times.

Heat a dry wok over medium heat. Add the unsalted peanuts and toss them around for 1-2 minutes until lightly charred and fragrant. Dry-roasting brings out their flavor and makes them crunchier. Remove the peanuts to a separate bowl and set aside.

Heat the wok over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of neutral oil and swirl it around to coat the surface. Add the marinated chicken and press the pieces down into a single layer. Leave it alone for about 1 minute so the first side sears and doesn't stick to the cooking surface.

Stir-fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes total. You're not looking to brown the meat heavily, just cook it through until done. Remove the chicken to a separate bowl and set aside.

Heat the wok again over medium heat. Add another tablespoon of neutral oil. Toss in the minced garlic and minced ginger and saute for 20-30 seconds, just until fragrant. Then drop in the sliced dried chilis and toss them with the aromatics for 10-20 seconds, or until you notice the chilis are slightly darkening in color. This step infuses the oil with the smoky, roasted chili flavor.

Add the cooked chicken back to the wok and toss it with the aromatic-infused oil until everything is well mixed. Pour in the sauce along with the scallion whites. Toss everything together until the sauce has thickened to your liking.

Kill the heat. Add the toasted peanuts and drizzle in the toasted sesame oil. Toss everything together so it's evenly distributed and serve immediately. The peanuts go in last and off heat so they stay crunchy.