Cookbook:Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken
Category	Meat recipes
Servings	4
Time	Prep: ~10 minutes Marinating: ~30 minutes Cooking: ~10 minutes
Difficulty

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Kung pao chicken (gong bao in Mandarin) is a spicy Sichuan recipe made with diced chicken, chili peppers and peanuts, named after a court official. It is a popular dish served at Chinese restaurants throughout the United States and the UK.

Ingredients

Chicken/Marinade

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp sherry or rice wine
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Spices

• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ cup shelled peanuts
• 5–10 small dried red chile peppers
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp crushed garlic

Vegetables

• 1 green bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice
• 1 can (5 oz) sliced bamboo shoots (optional), drained
• 3 stalks celery, chopped

• 4 green onions, cut into ½-inch pieces, including green tops

Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 tbsp chicken broth
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp Hoisin sauce

Procedure

1. Measure and prepare all ingredients before cooking.
2. Mix all chicken/marinade ingredients in a bowl, stir well, and allow to marinate for ½ hour.
3. Mix sauce ingredients in another bowl and set aside until needed. Stir out any lumps.
4. Heat wok or large frying pan until water drops bead up and dance on the hot surface.
5. Add cooking oil to wok. Wait a few seconds for oil to heat up.
6. Add remaining spice ingredients to wok and stir fry for 30 seconds.
7. Add chicken mixture to wok and stir fry for about 4 minutes (until chicken is cooked through).
8. Add vegetables to wok and stir fry for about 2–3 minutes.
9. Stir sauce and add to wok. After the sauce comes to a boil, cook for about 1 minute (until sauce thickens).
10. Stir to coat other ingredients with thickened sauce.
11. Pour onto large platter and serve immediately.

Notes, tips, and variations

• Serve with steamed or fried rice.

Warnings

• Don't eat the dried, small red chili peppers unless you like spicy-hot foods. They are mainly used to season the pot and are not usually eaten.
• Use care in handling the raw chicken. Wash hands and utensils that come into contact with raw chicken. Don't allow raw chicken or its juices to come into contact with other foods, unless they are to be cooked afterwards.