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Kung Pao Chicken
From the Kitchen of Randi Rost

Kung Pao Chicken

A classic Szechwan stir-fry featuring tender chicken, roasted peanuts, and fiery dried chiles in a savory-sweet sauce. Quick to make in a wok and full of bold, spicy flavor — just be careful not to burn the chiles or peanuts! Chinese chefs often leave the charred whole chiles in the dish, but you can remove them if you prefer.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cooking Sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dry sherry
  • 3 tbsp chicken broth regular strength (or substitute water)
  • 2 tbsp corn starch
Main Dish
  • 1 tbsp dry sherry
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp white pepper
  • 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts skinned and boned
  • 4 hot red chiles dried, can use more
  • 1/2 cub salted peanuts ideally, spanish peanuts
  • 1 tsp garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ginger ideally, fresh grated
  • 2 green onions including tops, can use more

Equipment

  • Wok

Method
 

  1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch chunks.
  2. Cut green onions into half-inch lengths
  3. In a bowl, stir together sherry, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper. Add chicken and stir to coat, then stir in 1 tablespoon of the oil and let marinate for 15 minutes.
  4. Prepare cooking sauce. Stir together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon dry sherry, 3 tablespoons regular-strength chicken broth (or water), 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons corn starch. After stirring, set aside.
  5. Cook peanuts and chiles. Place a wok over medium heat; when wok is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When oil is hot, add chiles and peanuts and stir until chiles just begin to char. (If chiles or peanuts become completely black, discard them and start over with new chiles and peanuts.) Remove peanuts and chiles from wok; set aside.
  6. Cook chicken. Pour 1 tablespoon more oil into wok and increase heat to high. When oil begins to heat, add garlic and ginger and stir once, then add half the chicken mixture. Stir-fry until meat is no longer pink in center (cut to test, about 3 minutes). Remove from wok and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and repeat to cook remaining chicken.
  7. Return all chicken to wok; add peanuts, chiles, and green onions. Stir cooking sauce and pour into wok; stir until sauce boils and thickens. Remove from wok and serve.

Notes

Don't burn the chiles or peanuts! This is the most common mistake when making this recipe.
 
Source
From “Sunset Wok Cook Book - Stir-frying - Deep Frying - Steaming”