Kung Pao Chicken

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix all 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes, with the marinade stocks: 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp marinade cornstarch, exactly ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Prepare the sauce and aromatics during this wait.

   Minimum refrigerated chicken marination · 30 minUses All 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breast in 1-inch cubes · 1 tbsp marinade cooking wine · 1 tbsp marinade soy sauce · 1 tsp baking soda · 1 tsp marinade cornstarch · ¼ tsp salt · ¼ tsp black pepper

2. 2

   Step 2: Whisk the sauce stocks together until smooth: ½ cup chicken stock, the separate 1 tbsp sauce soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, the separate 1 tbsp sauce Chinese cooking wine, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp brown or white sugar and 2 tsp sauce cornstarch. Set the entire sauce aside; neither wine nor soy is an unmeasured splash.

   Uses ½ cup chicken stock · 1 tbsp sauce soy sauce · 1 tbsp rice vinegar · 1 tbsp sauce cooking wine · 1 tsp dark soy sauce · 1 tsp sesame oil · 1 tbsp brown or white sugar; choose one · 2 tsp sauce cornstarch

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the first 2 tbsp of the total 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.

   Uses First 2 tbsp vegetable oil: half of the 4 tbsp stock

4. 4

   Step 4: Add all the chicken and its marinade from the refrigerated marination step to the hot wok. Stir-fry until golden and fully cooked, checking the centres reach 74°C/165°F. Remove all the cooked chicken to a clean plate; retain the wok for the next phase.

   Uses All marinated chicken breast from step 1 · First 2 tbsp heated vegetable oil in the wok

5. 5

   Step 5: Add the remaining 2 tbsp vegetable oil from the same total 4 tbsp stock to the wok used for the chicken. Keep the cooked chicken on its clean plate.

   Uses Remaining 2 tbsp vegetable oil: other half of the 4 tbsp stock

6. 6

   Step 6: In that remaining hot oil, stir-fry all 5 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp minced ginger, all 10 dried chilies cut into 2 cm pieces and 2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

   Stir-fry aromatics · 1 minUses Remaining 2 tbsp vegetable oil heated in the wok · All 5 minced garlic cloves · 1 tsp minced ginger · All 10 dried chilies in 2 cm pieces · 2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns

7. 7

   Step 7: Return all the cooked chicken from its clean plate to the fragrant garlic, ginger, chili and Sichuan-pepper mixture in the wok.

   Uses All cooked chicken breast held on the clean plate · All stir-fried aromatics in the second oil dose

8. 8

   Step 8: Stir the reserved sauce again to resuspend its cornstarch. Pour the entire sauce from step 2 over the returned chicken and aromatics, then stir to coat.

   Uses Entire cooked chicken and aromatic mixture · Entire whisked sauce from step 2, stirred again before adding

9. 9

   Step 9: Add all 4 scallion stalks, white and green parts cut into 2-inch pieces, and the ⅓ cup roasted unsalted peanuts. Stir-fry for another 1–2 minutes, until everything is hot, mixed and the cornstarch sauce has become a glossy coating.

   Finish Kung Pao stir-fry · 1 minUses All returned chicken and complete added sauce · All 4 cut scallion stalks, both white and green parts · ⅓ cup roasted unsalted peanuts

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Transfer the complete Kung Pao chicken to a serving dish and divide among 3 servings. Serve hot with already steamed rice or cooked noodles alongside if desired; choose one accompaniment and use an unspecified amount.

    Uses Entire chicken, coated sauce, scallions and peanuts · Optional already cooked rice or noodles alongside; choose one, amount unspecified