Description
A flavorful stir-fry featuring tender chicken, roasted peanuts, spicy dried red chilies, and numbing Sichuan peppercorns in a savory, sweet, and tangy sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- 8–10 dried red chilies
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch piece of ginger, minced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/2 bell pepper, diced
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Toss the chicken cubes in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Allow it to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, and Sichuan peppercorns to make the sauce.
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Stir-fry the marinated chicken until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes, then set it aside.
- Add garlic, ginger, onion, and bell pepper to the wok. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and tender-crisp.
- Stir in roasted peanuts, dried chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns, and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the prepared sauce and mix everything together until evenly coated.
- Return the chicken to the wok and stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve the Kung Pao Chicken hot with steamed rice.
Notes
To customize the spice level, adjust the amount of dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. You can also use tofu or other proteins like shrimp or beef as alternatives to chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-fry
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: kung pao chicken, stir-fry, Chinese, spicy, peanuts