Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken is a Sichuan classic made with tender chunks of chicken, peppers and peanuts glazed with a tongue-tinglingly spicy sauce.

Course Entree

Cuisine Best, Chinese

Level Beginner

Main Ingredient Poultry

Diet Dairy-Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 7

Total Time 22

Servings servings

Calories 586kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For marinade

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon potato starch
¼ teaspoon salt
400 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into ½-inch pieces)

For sauce

1 tablespoon Chinese dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon black vinegar
2 teaspoons doubanjiang
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon potato starch
½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper (to taste)

For stir-fry

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 dried chili peppers
⅓ cup peanuts
7 grams fresh ginger (minced)
7 grams garlic (~1 large clove, minced)
70 grams red bell pepper (~ ½ pepper, chopped)
70 grams green bell pepper (~ ½ pepper, chopped)
2 scallions (minced for garnish)

Instructions

Whisk the 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon potato starch, and ¼ teaspoon salt together and add the 400 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs, stirring to combine. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon potato starch, ¼ teaspoon salt, 400 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs
To make the sauce, add the 1 tablespoon Chinese dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon black vinegar, 2 teaspoons doubanjiang, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper, and 1 teaspoon potato starch into a small bowl and whisk to combine.
1 tablespoon Chinese dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon black vinegar, 2 teaspoons doubanjiang, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon potato starch, ½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
Heat a wok or large sauté pan until hot and then add the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, along with the 6 dried chili peppers and ⅓ cup peanuts. Stir-fry until the chilies are fragrant, but be careful not to burn them. Transfer the chilies to a plate and then continue to stir-fry the peanuts until they start to brown. Transfer the peanuts to a plate, leaving as much oil the pan as possible.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 6 dried chili peppers, ⅓ cup peanuts
Add the 7 grams fresh ginger and 7 grams garlic to the pan and then add the marinated chicken in a single layer. Leave the chicken undisturbed until it starts to brown.
7 grams fresh ginger, 7 grams garlic
Add the 70 grams red bell pepper and 70 grams green bell pepper and then stir-fry until the chicken is mostly cooked.
70 grams red bell pepper, 70 grams green bell pepper
Add the sauce and return the peanuts and chili peppers to the pan. Continue stir frying until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the chicken and vegetables.
Garnish with the 2 scallions and serve.
2 scallions

Nutrition