Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
China · Servings: 4
Kung pao chicken (gong bao in Mandarin) is a spicy Sichuan recipe made with diced chicken, chili peppers and peanuts, named after a court official. It is a popular dish served at Chinese restaurants throughout the United States and the UK.
Ingredients
Chicken/Marinade
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp sherry or rice wine
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Spices
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ cup shelled peanuts
- 5–10 small dried red chile peppers
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
Vegetables
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 can (5 oz) sliced bamboo shoots (optional), drained
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 green onions, cut into ½-inch pieces, including green tops
Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 4 tbsp chicken broth
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp Hoisin sauce
Procedure
- Measure and prepare all ingredients before cooking.
- Mix all chicken/marinade ingredients in a bowl, stir well, and allow to marinate for ½ hour.
- Mix sauce ingredients in another bowl and set aside until needed. Stir out any lumps.
- Heat wok or large frying pan until water drops bead up and dance on the hot surface.
- Add cooking oil to wok. Wait a few seconds for oil to heat up.
- Add remaining spice ingredients to wok and stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken mixture to wok and stir fry for about 4 minutes (until chicken is cooked through).
- Add vegetables to wok and stir fry for about 2–3 minutes.
- Stir sauce and add to wok. After the sauce comes to a boil, cook for about 1 minute (until sauce thickens).
- Stir to coat other ingredients with thickened sauce.
- Pour onto large platter and serve immediately.
Adapted from Wikibooks Cookbook · Cookbook:Kung Pao Chicken, CC BY-SA 3.0.