Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken

I do love cooking Asian foods at home. Yes it is way quicker than take out or delivery. And what’s better, you can use what you have. Don’t have chicken? Use pork, beef or even shrimp. Don’t have colored peppers? Use celery or just another color pepper. You can always add in stuff too. Like baby corn, bamboo or water chestnuts would be awesome. 

Or just stick to the recipe. Like I kinda did. 

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced (about 3 chicken breasts)
• 1/4 cup Soy sauce (or tamari)
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 3 tbsp Sesame oil
• 1 Red bell pepper, cubed
• 1 Green bell pepper, cubed
• 1 Bunch green onions, white and green parts, cut into 3" pieces
• 1/2 cup Cashews (or peanuts)
• 10 Dried red chili peppers, cut in half to release their heat
• 6 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh ginger, minced or grated

Kung Pao Sauce

• 1/4 cup Soy sauce (or tamari)
• 1/3 cup Rice vinegar (or sherry vinegar)
• 2 tbsp Sugar

Method

1. Make the Kung Pao sauce: combine 1/4 cup of soy sauce, rice or sherry vinegar and sugar in a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
2. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup of soy sauce or (tamari) with cornstarch in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Toss chicken breast pieces in the soy sauce-cornstarch mixture to coat and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil over high heat. Working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, stir-fry the chicken pieces until lightly browned and cooked through—about 3-4 minutes total. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
4. Once all of the chicken is cooked, use the same skillet to finish the dish. 
5. Heat one tablespoon of sesame oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, stir-fry the bell peppers for about four minutes, until they begin to soften. 
6. Add the green onions, cashews, ginger, garlic, and dried chili peppers. 
7. Stir-fry the vegetables for 2 minutes before adding the Kung Pao sauce and the cooked chicken breast. 
8. Bring the pan to a simmer, and cook until the sauce has thickened— about 2 minutes. Serve over white or brown rice.