Kung Pao Chicken
Golden chicken, caramelized bell peppers, crunchy nuts, and a shimmering, sweet/savory, chili-based sauce. Moderately fiery, delightfully nutty, and completely addictive.
Servings 4
Calories 435kcal
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, or cashews
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch divided
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces or thin strips
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or mirin (Japanese rice wine)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced or cut into thin strips
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced or cut into thin strips
- 8-10 dried red chilies or 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, or more/less to taste
- 5-6 green onions/scallions white and green parts, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- Salt to taste
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining soy sauce, remaining tablespoon of cornstarch, rice vinegar, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil, and ginger. Set aside.
- Toast the peanuts in a large, dry skillet over medium heat shaking the pan frequently. Stay close to prevent burning. You want the nuts lightly toasted and aromatic. Set aside to cool.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook until golden brown on all sides, stirring frequently. If necessary, work in batches to prevent crowding the pan. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peppers soften. Add the dried chile peppers (or red chili flakes), green onions, and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Return the chicken to the pan with any accumulated juices from the plate. Whisk the sauce to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved (it sometimes sticks to the bottom of the bowl when sitting) and add the sauce to the pan. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens, and the chicken is cooked through.
- Fold in the peanuts and season to taste with salt.
- Serve over rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 940mg | Potassium: 925mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1463IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg