Fried Chicken w/ Xinjiang Spices

On our recent trip to Xi’an, we were reminded of and introduced to China’s rich varieties of Islamic cuisine—specifically the cooking of the Uyghur people. Chuan(r), or kebabs usually made with lamb, for example, might just be one of the most popular street foods in Beijing (maybe second only to jian bing – see Kaitlin’s quick shortcut recipe for jian bing here). But these lamb skewers, seasoned with a fiery, fragrant mixture of chili, cumin, and salt, actually originated in the far northwestern province of Xinjiang, where the Uyghurs come from and we figured the same spice would make a kickin’ fried chicken.