Kung Pao Chicken

"This is a popular Szechwan style dish that combines chicken (or pork, beef or shrimp) with peanuts."
 
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Ready In:
20mins
Ingredients:
21
Yields:
1 depends on how many dishes are served
Serves:
2-3
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ingredients

  • 226.79 g chicken breast, diced
  • 2-3 dried chilies
  • cornstarch, mixed with a little cornstarch (binder)
  • 118.29 ml peanuts (dry roasted or fried)
  • 0.19 ml sesame oil
  • Marinade

  • 2.46 ml salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 9.85 ml cornstarch
  • 4.92 ml dry sherry
  • 0.19 ml vegetable oil
  • Seasonings

  • 1-3 clove minced garlic
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped
  • 2.46 ml minced fresh gingerroot (optional)
  • Vegetables

  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 59.14 ml sliced bamboo shoot (, or thinly sliced carrot)
  • Sauce

  • 4.92 ml sugar
  • 4.92-14.78 ml hot sauce (Chinese chilie paste with garlic works well. If you use it you may want to cut back on the minced ga)
  • 9.85 ml dark soy sauce
  • 4.92 ml dry sherry
  • 4.92 ml vinegar (I use Chinese red vinegar but white, cider or Asian rice, unseasoned vinegar are also OK.)
  • 59.14 ml chicken stock
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directions

  • Have a heat proof bowl handy.
  • Line it with a heat proof colander or sieve.
  • You will cook the chicken in what seems a lot of oil but it gets poured into the sieve allowing any excess to drain off while you finish the dish.
  • The fire should be on high for the whole cooking process.
  • Heat a wok to smoking and pour in enough oil to cover the chicken.
  • When the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken.
  • Stir until just cooked.
  • This shouldn't take more than a minute or so.
  • Carefully pour the contents of the wok into the sieve-lined bowl.
  • Reheat the wok and pour in 2- 3 T of the oil.
  • Add the dried chilies and stir them until they're charred.
  • (Warning: make sure you have your exhaust fan turned on high since the chilies throw off some nasty fumes)!
  • Stir in the seasonings; when they start to smell strong (about 10- 20 seconds) add the vegetables.
  • Stir fry until they are cooked but still crispy (a minute or two).
  • Give the sauce a good stir and pour into the wok.
  • Stir until it begins to bubble.
  • Return the chicken and keep stirring to heat through.
  • Thicken by stirring a little of the binder into the sauce.
  • (Note: add only a little of the binder at a time to avoid making the sauce gummy).
  • Stir in a few drops of sesame oil.
  • Sprinkle the peanuts on top.
  • Serve immediately on a heated platter.

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Reviews

  1. This is a very, very good recipe. The flavor is wonderful I served it with long grain rice cooked in chicken broth and stir fried veggies, bean sprouts, mushrooms, carrot, snow peas, broccoli. onion & cauliflower just excellent . This will be a regular. I like the way you laid out the recipe with Marinade, Seasonings etc. I got each ready and in a small bowl ready to use. You did not say to put the chicken in the marinade prior to cooking it but where else would you use it? I did this and it worked. Also I used crushed dried peppers and shallot in stead of green onion and I used the ginger. Thankyou, Bergy
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Retired, former teacher of Chinese cooking, caterer of Chinese banquets and restaurateur.
 
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