Kung Pao Chicken infused with roasted Sichuan peppers, garlic, ginger and dried chili peppers provides a savory heat. Add the bold flavor of fresh cut green onions and roasted peanuts to complete a symphony of complimentary flavors and aromas. The unique flavor of this dish is inspired by the Chinese peppercorn and the slight herbal zest creates a balanced link to the chili pepper oil that is ingrained in the sauce.
One of the most requested and favorite Chinese take-outs is Kung Pao Chicken. This meal can be cooked in the comforted of your home in under 30 minutes. Chinese restaurants often use MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) which is known to be bad for the body over time in large quantities. This recipe calls for no MSG and tastes equivalent to what is typically provided in a restaurant.
Most of these ingredients can be bought at your common neighborhood grocery store or you can swing by the local asian grocery sore for authentic ingredients.
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This spicy dish may pack a hot punch but when served on a bed of rice it is a genuine foodlicious experience.
Ingredients: peanuts, green onion, chicken broth, ginger, garlic, dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppers.
I recommend buying the whole Sichuan peppercorn and crush them yourself. It will give a fresh and fragrant aroma to the dish.
Marinate chicken.
Sauce mixture.
Add ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppers and dried red peppers. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until you smell the fragrance from the ingredients.
Saute ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppers and dried chili peppers.
Add the marinated chicken.
Cook for 2-5 minutes or until no longer pink (almost fully cooked).
Add sauce mixture, chicken broth and cornstarch mixture; bring it to a simmer.
Add roasted peanuts.
Then add green onions.
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Kung Pao Chicken
Equipment
- Wok or skillet.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts or 3 chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp canola, vegetable oil or peanut oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 8-12 dried peppers optional
- 5-6 green onion chopped
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Sichuan pepper crushed
- ½ cup peanuts lightly roasted
- ½ cup chicken broth low-sodium
Sauce
- ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar or black vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Cornstarch mixture
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp water
Instructions
Marinate
- Cut the 2 chicken breasts into ½" by ½" (squares) and place them in a bowl.
- Add 1 tsp baking soda and 2 tsp light soy sauce; mix until evenly coated. Cover and set aside.
- Marinate for 10 minutes.
Sauce
- In a medium sized bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and whisk.
Prepare
- Smash/grind whole Sichuan Peppers.
- Deseed (remove the seed) and cut the dried chili peppers into ½" thick.
- Cut the green onions into ½ thick.
Cook
- Heat the wok/skillet to medium-high and add oil. Wait for 30-60 seconds.
- Add ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppers and dried red peppers. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until you smell the fragrance from the ingredients.
- Add the marinated chicken and cook for 2-5 minutes or until no longer pink (almost fully cooked).
- In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water then stir.
- Add sauce mixture, chicken broth and cornstarch mixture to the wok/skillet; bring to a simmer (3-6 minutes). Stir continually unitl the sauce slightly thickens.
- Add the peanuts and green onions. Stir and cook for 30 second.
Serve immediately with your choice of rice.
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While I probably wouldn’t near use as many hot peppers, your spicy kung pao chicken certainly does look good.
Thank you!