Kung Pao Chicken
Delicious chicken in a zesty Kung Pao Sauce

Kung Pao Chicken is a spicy Chinese dish that is well loved throughout the world. It's origins are from the Sichuan region of China. This particular cuisine is known for its intense hot flavor which comes from the spicy Sichuan peppercorn.

This type of peppercorn was banned in the US by the FDA up until 2005 because they carried a citrus canker virus. The ban was lifted with the agreement that the peppercorns are heated to 160 degrees before they are shipped to the U.S.

Most recipes such as this one replace the peppercorns with chili peppers. You can tone down the heat of this dish by using fewer chili peppers.

Traditionally Kung Pao Chicken doesn't contain vegetables. However, there aren't any laws stating you can't add what you like. My husband likes red bell pepper in his as you can see in the photo above.

You will notice that rice wine vinegar is used in the sauce. This isn't a mistake. The vinegar adds a characteristic flavor to this dish.

Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 15 min

Main Ingredients:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 stalks of diced green onion
6 to 8 red dried chilies (deseeded and cut into halves)
5 thin slices peeled fresh ginger
2/3 cup roasted peanuts
Peanut or vegetable oil
Diced Bell Peppers, Celery and Onion (Optional)

Marinade:
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar

Kung Pao Sauce:
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce

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Preparation:

Remove as much fat from the chicken as you can and cut into bite sized pieces.
Place these pieces in a large bowl to be marinated
Add in the garlic salt, sugar and corn starch, then mix it in thoroughly.
Set chicken aside for now.
Mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce in a large cup. Make sure all of the cornstarch dissolves.
Set this mixture aside.
Heat a non stick wok pot or on high and add a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and fry it for about 5 minutes, or until light brown. Check a piece to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Dish out chicken in to a bowl and drain off any liquid from the pan.
If you are adding Bell Pepper and other veggies then add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook them until they are soft. Then remove them from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the hot pan, add the sliced ginger and cook for about 30 seconds.
Now add the red chili halves and cook until they smell spicy.
Add the chicken meat and peanuts into the pan and stir a few times.
Add the sauce mixture and stir continuously until the meat is coated and sauce is has thickened.
Stir in the diced green onions