This Kung Pao chicken recipe is a stir fried chicken with a perfect combination of salty, sweet and spicy flavors! Made with perfectly cooked chicken pieces, veggies, peanuts, and a perfecy sauce.
2lbboneless skinless chicken breastcut into 1” cubes
1TablespoonShaoxing wineor dry sherry
1Tablespoonsoy sauce
1teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspooncornstarch
Sauce
5Tablespoonssoy sauce
2Tablespoonsrice vinegar
2TablespoonsShaoxing wineor dry sherry
2Tablespoonsbrown sugar
1Tablespoonhoisin sauce
2teaspoonscornstarch
2teaspoonssesame oil
Stir Fry
3Tablespoonsvegetable oil
1red bell pepperdiced
1green bell pepperdiced
2stalks celerydiced
5green onionssliced
½cuproasted unsalted peanuts
10dried chili peppers
4garlic clovesminced
1Tablespoonminced ginger
1TablespoonSzechuan peppercorns
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
Dice the chicken breasts into 1” cubes.
Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the baking soda and cornstarch over the chicken and toss to combine.
Add the shaoxing wine and soy sauce to the bowl and toss the chicken to coat.
Allow to sit for 10 minutes while you prepare the vegetables and sauce.
Mix the sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, shaoxing wine, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil.
Set aside.
Prep the veggies.
Chop the bell peppers and celery into a medium dice, ensuring that the pieces are as even as possible.
Mince the garlic, and ginger, and chop the green onions into thin slices.
Measure the peanuts and dried chilies and set aside.
If you are using whole szechuan peppercorns, you will want to grind them into a powder with a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.
Stir Fry
Heat a wok or a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and allow to heat. You want to make sure the pan and the oil are both hot and ready before you add the chicken, that way they cook quickly and develop that perfect golden crust.
Add the chicken to the hot pan and let it sit for 2 minutes to crisp up before you stir the pieces.
Allow the chicken to sit for another 2-3 minutes to cook on the other side.
Remove the chicken to a bowl, cover with foil, and set aside for now.
Add in the bell peppers and celery to the hot pan and saute until they begin to soften. You don’t want them to be super soft, you still want them to have some crunch on them. About 4-5 minutes.
Add in the garlic, ginger, chopped green onions, roasted peanuts, and dried chiles and saute just a few seconds, until you start to smell them.
Pour in the prepared sauce, and add the chicken back in. Stir to coat.
Simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
Serve with white or brown rice.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.