Name: Kung Pao Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 500 g chicken breast; 75 g roasted peanuts; 10 whole dried red chilies; 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns; 4 stalks green onions; 3 cloves garlic cloves; 1 inch fresh ginger; 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 3 tbsp vegetable oil

Ingredients

Servings

500g chicken_breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
75g peanut
10whole chili_pepper
1tbsp szechuan_peppercorn
4stalks green_onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3cloves garlic, minced
1inch ginger, minced
3tbsp soy_sauce
2tbsp rice_vinegar
1tbsp sugar
1tbsp toasted_sesame_oil
2tbsp cornstarch, 1 for marinade, 1 for sauce
3tbsp vegetable_oil

Equipment Needed

Instructions

1
Toss chicken cubes with 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
2
Mix remaining soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, remaining cornstarch, and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl for the sauce.
3
Heat wok over high heat until smoking. Add oil, then the marinated chicken. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.
4
Add dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns to the wok. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant and chilies darken slightly (don't burn them).
5
Add garlic and ginger, stir-fry for 15 seconds. Return chicken to the wok.
6
Pour in the sauce and toss everything together until sauce thickens and coats the chicken, about 1 minute.
7
Add peanuts and green onions, toss for 30 seconds. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and serve immediately over steamed rice.

Tips

Toast the Sichuan peppercorns briefly before using for more intense numbing flavor. They should be fragrant, not burnt.
The dried chilies are for flavor and appearance - you don't need to eat them. Adjust quantity based on your heat preference.
Add the peanuts at the very end to keep them crunchy. If added too early, they'll become soft.