Kung Pao Chicken
宫保鸡丁
Diced chicken stir-fried with dried chilies, peanuts, and a sweet-sour-savory sauce. A Sichuan favorite.
Serves 4
Prep 20 min
Cook 10 min
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, for the chicken
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, for the chicken
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, for the chicken
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar, for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar, for the sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon water, for the sauce
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for cooking
- 8 dried red chilies
- 1 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 4 green onions, white parts cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
Steps
Step 1. Toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the wine, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Step 2. Stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
Step 3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok over high heat. Cook the chicken in a single layer, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Remove it to a plate.
Step 4. Add the remaining oil, chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns and stir for 20 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Do not let them burn.
Step 5. Add the garlic, ginger, and green onions and stir for 30 seconds. Return the chicken to the wok.
Step 6. Pour in the sauce and toss for 1 minute, until glossy. Stir in the peanuts and serve with rice.
Where this recipe comes from
Yoribang Chinese recipes by Yoribang. License: Free to use. View the original (opens in a new tab)
Original Yoribang write-ups of Chinese home cooking. Shaoxing wine is a Chinese cooking wine (dry sherry works instead). Doubanjiang is fermented chili bean paste, and Sichuan peppercorns give a tingling, numbing heat. Light soy sauce adds salt, and dark soy sauce adds color. Most are sold at Asian grocery stores.