Kung Pao Chicken

I know...ANOTHER Kung Pao recipe. However, this is by Wolfgang Puck. Need I say more?

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Marinade

• 1  tablespoon rice wine
• 1  tablespoon  peanut oil
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 8  ounces boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

• Sauce

• 3  tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons rice wine
• 3  tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 2  tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2  tablespoons  peanut oil
• 4  dried red chilies, stems removed and discarded, pods cut in halves
• 1⁄2 inch  piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced, smashed
• 1  garlic clove, smashed
• 1  green onion, white part cut into 1/2 -inch pieces, green part cut into julienne strips
• 1⁄4 cup  deep-fried peanuts
• 2  tablespoons  cold  chicken stock or 2  tablespoons  good-quality canned chicken broth, plus
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch, stirred together until the cornstarch dissolves to make a slurry

Directions

1. 1. In a nonreactive bowl, prepare the Marinade: Combine the rice wine, peanut oil, soy sauce, salt and cornstarch. Stir in the chicken pieces and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. 2. In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the Sauce. Set aside.
3. 3. Over high heat, in a wok, bring the peanut oil to almost smoking temperature. Stir-fry the chilies, ginger, garlic and white part of the green onions for 30 to 40 seconds, or until the chilies turn dark. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden in color.
4. 4. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the peanuts. Stir in the slurry and continue stirring until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat the chicken. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with julienned green onions.