Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
To marinate the chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken thighs cut into small bite pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper if you don't have it
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon roasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch or use all purpose flour if you don't have it
Stir Fry Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang Vinegar or Chinese Black Vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For Stir Fry:
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil/vegetable oil
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 4 tablespoons chopped green onions white and light green parts only
- 1 package dried arbol chilies (about 8-10 pieces) you can find this at any grocery stores
- ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
Method
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir in salt, white pepper, dark soy sauce, chinese rice wine, sugar, sesame oil and corn starch until dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Put in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl: add dark soy sauce, chinese wine, vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame oil and corn starch until dissolved.
- In a skillet pan or wok, heat over high heat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil until smoking, add chicken and cook until you see no pink (for about 3 minutes). Set aside.
- Clean the wok/skillet and heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat until smoking. Add bell peppers, stir for about 1 minute.
- Add peanut and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the remaining ingredients (garlic, ginger, green onions and dried chilies) and stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and stir in the sauce. Keep stirring until the chicken is cooked through.
- Turn of the heat and transfer to a plate. Serve with rice and enjoy.