Kung Pao Chicken
- Serves 4
This is the dish that made me fall in Iove with Chinese cuisine in the first place and it’s something we always always order when we go out for Chinese. Gong Bao Ji Ding or Kung Pao Chicken is sweet, sour, spicy and everything Sichuan food should be. It’s quick and super-easy to make and the best part is all ingredients are readily available at most large supermarkets in Singapore or in Chinese supermarkets in your country.
Like all wok-cooking, this popular stir-fry comes together within minutes, which is why prepping ahead is key. Get all the ingredients peeled and chopped, and the stir-fry sauce ready to go, before you get to the cooking part. Most Chinese restaurants deep-fry the marinated chicken in this recipe to give it a crispy-golden exterior. You can do so or simply stir-fry it like I have, to keep the dish on the healthier side.
A couple of things to remember,
1. I have had many students ask if they can skip frying peanuts/cashews, and replace them with roasted nuts instead? You can , however frying your own raw peanuts or cashew-nuts in this recipe is best; freshly fried nuts give a special flavor and crunch to the final product which roasted nuts don't.
2. DO NOT skip Sichuan chili peppers in this dish. These beautiful seed pods have very a unique aroma and flavor. With lemony undertones and tongue-numbing sensation, they are fabulous combined with hot chili peppers in any Sichuan dish. I often toast them lightly before grinding them using my mortar and pestle, and sprinkling them on French fries, YUM! They are easily available in plastic jars in most Chinese supermarkets.
Enjoy the recipe! And feel free to leave any questions in comments below.
For wok cooking tips and tricks, check out my blog on how to season your wok right!
Ingredients
450g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in ½-inch cubes OR 450g peeled, deveined
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
½ cup unsalted cashews (or fresh skinless peanuts)
2 tablespoons Zhenjiang black vinegar or rice vinegar
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons chicken stock
2 tablespoons Chinese light soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons sugar or honey
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
12 (or more) dried medium-hot dried chili peppers, large ones snipped in half
1-3 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
1 large leek, bulb chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped ginger
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
coconut oil or peanut oil, for frying
2 spring onions, cut in ½-inch pieces - for garnish
Recipes
1. Marinate chicken cubes/shrimp in 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon light soy sauce.
2. Heat a wok until hot and add 1-2 tablespoons peanut or coconut oil. When oil is hot, turn heat to low, add nuts and gently stir-fry until toasty brown all over. Watch closely so they don't burn. Remove from the wok and let the nuts drain on a paper towel. They will firm up and become crunchy when cool. (Don’t skip this step as freshly fried nuts are the essence of this dish)
3. Make stir-fry sauce by mixing these ingredients in a cup: vinegar, chicken stock, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar/honey, and 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine. In another bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water.
4. Heat the wok again on high heat, add another a tablespoon of oil, swirl around the pan, and when you see smoke begin to rise, add the chicken cubes/shrimp. Stir-fry the chicken/shrimp for 2-3 minutes until almost cooked through and lightly browned. Remove chicken/shrimp from the wok and set aside in a bowl.
5. Reduce the heat to low flame and add another tablespoon of oil. Add chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns - stir-fry vigorously for a few seconds, toasting but not burning them. Add leek bulbs, ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
6. Add chicken cubes/shrimp, stir well and increase the heat to high. Add sauce and mix it well with all the other ingredients reducing the sauce to your liking. Add cornstarch; as the sauce thickens, add fried nuts and spring onion, and stir-fry until all ingredients are well combined. Serve hot with steamed rice or fried rice.