Kung Pao Chicken
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.
Total Time
Prep: ~10 minutes Marinating: ~30 minutes Cooking: ~10 minutes
Servings
4
Prep Time
~10 minutes
Cook Time
~10 minutes
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp sherry or rice wine
1 tsp cornstarch
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
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
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
Measure and prepare all ingredients before cooking.
Mix all chicken/marinade ingredients in a bowl, stir well, and allow to marinate for ½ hour.
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.
30 seconds
Add chicken mixture to wok and stir fry for about 4 minutes (until chicken is cooked through).
4 minutes
Add vegetables to wok and stir fry for about 2–3 minutes.
2–3 minutes
Stir sauce and add to wok. After the sauce comes to a boil, cook for about 1 minute (until sauce thickens).
1 minute
Stir to coat other ingredients with thickened sauce.
Pour onto large platter and serve immediately.
- •Serve with steamed or fried rice.