Kung Pao chicken is a flavorful, stir-fried dish made with chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chile peppers. Fresh and healthy, this is nothing like “takeout.” If you’re up for an experiment, stir up this delicious dinner and feel the pao!
Kung Pao chicken, also transcribed Gong Bao or Kung Po, is a named for Ding Baozhen, a Chinese official who served as the governor of Sichuan Province in the 1800s. It was said that the governor’s favorite dish was spiced chicken with peanuts; in time, this peanut dish was named for him through his official title-Gong Bao.
There is nothing like the taste of homemade Chinese food versus typical fast food. It may seem like many ingredients, but they are easy to find and useful in many recipes.
Wearing rubber gloves, cut chili peppers in half and discard as many seeds as possible. Set aside. Combine 1-1⁄2 teaspoons cornstarch, salt, water, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and rice wine in a small bowl. Add chicken pieces. Set aside. Combine sugar, 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch, Chinese vinegar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, sesame oil, and chicken broth in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chili peppers and stir-fry briefly (do not burn); add chicken and stir-fry 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic, ginger, and scallions and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is done. Add chicken broth mixture to chicken; stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve with rice.
