Kung Pao Chicken
A classic Chinese stir-fry with tender chicken, crunchy peanuts, and a savory, slightly spicy sauce. Perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight meal.
Prep
: 10
Total
: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 0.5 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 2.5cm pieces
- 0.1 cup unsalted peanuts roasted
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 1 medium red bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch mixture. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from the wok and set aside.
- Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using) to the wok. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chopped red and green bell peppers to the wok and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender-crisp.
- Return the cooked chicken to the wok. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Stir well to coat everything.
- Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients. Stir in the roasted peanuts.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice.
Notes
This recipe can be customized with other vegetables like onions, broccoli, or snap peas. Adjust the red pepper flakes to your preferred level of spiciness.