This is one of the first spicy things I’ve made that my teenagers actually liked.
Kung Pao Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Flat-bottomed wok or large frying pan
- 2 mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper white or black
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar granulated
- 1 tbsp sambal oelek
- vegetable oil
- 2 bell peppers diced large
- 2 celery stalks sliced thin
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup peanuts, roasted
- 2 scallions sliced thin (optional)
- 1.5 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Add tamari or soy sauce, wine or sherry, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved. Drizzle 2 tablespoons over chicken and mix.
- Add the vinegar, sugar, and sambal to the remaining marinade and whisk until the sugar is dissolved.NOTE: if you're doubling the recipe because you have a lot of chicken, don't double the sambal or you may make it too spicy.
Stir Fry the Veggies and the Chicken
- Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add tablespoon of oil, followed by the bell peppers and celery. Season with salt and stir fry until crispy-tender and browned in spots (about 4 minutes).Add garlic and ginger and stir fry another 30 seconds.
- Transfer veggies to a plate.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the pan, followed by the chicken. Spread evenly across the pan and let cook until golden brown and a little seared on the bottom, 3-4 minutes.Stir fry for a couple of minutes, until cooked through.
Combine Everything
- Add vegetables back in, and add peanuts.Give the sauce a quick whisk and pour in. Stir fry until sauce thickens and coats everything, about a minute.Sprinkle in scallions and serve over rice.
Notes
Other veggies you can try: small mushrooms, zucchini, sliced carrots, and/or chopped onions.
We've also made it with tofu instead of chicken:
- use extra-firm tofu;
- squeeze the water out by wrapping in towels or a couple of paper towels, then putting on a plate and leaving something heavy on top for 20-30 minutes;
- cube the tofu into bite-sized chunks
- toss with a little cornstarch, then fry over medium heat until all sides are golden-brown.
- Continue with rest of recipe.
Originally seen on The Kitchn.
