Kung Pao Chicken
The classic Sichuan dish of diced chicken stir-fried with chiles, Sichuan peppercorns, scallions and peanuts.
Equipment
- Wok or large saute pan
Ingredients
Marinated chicken
- 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2-3 thighs)
- 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine (sub dry sherry if necessary)
- 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 Tbsp neutral flavored cooking oil (canola, vegetable, corn....etc)
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Shaoxing wine (sub dry sherry if necessary)
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Chinkiang vinegar AKA black vinegar
- 1/2 tsp MSG
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp corn starch
Stir-fry
- 2/3 cup whole dried heaven facing chili/Tianjin chili
- 2 tsp sichuan peppercorns (green or red)
- 5-6 cloves garlic (2 tbsp after chopping)
- 1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled (1 Tbsp after chopping)
- 4 scallions (one cup after slicing)
- 1/2 cup roasted or flash-fried peanuts
- about 1 cup neutral flavored cooking oil (canola, vegetable, corn....etc)
- plain steamed white rice, for serving
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Cut the chicken thighs into 1/3 inch cubes. Place in a mixing bowl.
- Add 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp white pepper, and a pinch of salt to the chicken and stir well to combine.
- Add 1 Tbsp corn starch to the chicken and stir well to combine.
- Add 1 Tbsp neutral oil to the chicken and stir to combine. Set the marinated chicken aside
Make the sauce
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small container. Stir to dissolve the sugar and set aside.
Final Preparation
- Cut the dried peppers into 1/3 inch pieces. Discard stems but keep the seeds if you like it spicy. You should have about 1/2 cup of chilies after cutting.
- Add 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns to the cut chilies and set these aside.
- Smash the ginger and garlic with the side of a knife and roughly chop. Do not chop too finely. Set aside
- Remove the roots from the scallions and cut into 1/3 inch pieces. Set aside
- Make sure you have all of your ingredients ready and within reach before cooking. Have a strainer ready nearby so that you can drain the chicken after it has shallow fried
- Heat up about 2/3 cup of neutral oil over medium heat.
- Add the marinated chicken to the oil.
- Cook the chicken over medium/medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes while stirring. This may seem like a lot of oil but you will be draining away most of it. The temperature of the oil should induce a very gentle fry. The chicken should not be popping and hissing aggressively. Imagine something between a poach and a fry.
- When the chicken is cooked through and just started to color lightly, drain the chicken with a strainer. The oil will be discarded.
- Thoroughly clean out the wok/pan and heat up 2-3 Tbsp fresh neutral oil over high heat. Swirl the wok/pan to coat in oil.
- When the oil is hot and starting to smoke, add the cut chilies and sichuan peppercorns to the oil. Cook for about 3-5 seconds or until the chilies start to darken. Do not let them get burnt.
- Before the chilies burn, add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 5-10 seconds over high heat.
- Immediately add the cooked chicken back to the pan before the chilies get too dark.
- Stir fry over high heat for approximately 20 seconds. If possible, flip the contents of the pan so that you can get a few licks of flame from the contents of the pan.
- Stir the sauce to re-dissolve any corn starch that may have settled to the bottom of the container and add it to the pan. cook for about 10 seconds.
- Add the peanuts and scallions to the pan.
- Stir fry for another 20-30 seconds or until the sauce has reduced and is coating the chicken.
- Adjust seasoning if necessary with salt, soy, sugar and/or vinegar.
- Serve with freshly steamed white rice
