Saturday, January 15, 2011

Kung Pao Chicken


If you can't take the heat, get out the kitchen, because this dish is H-O-T! Kung Pao chicken has, for as long as I can remember, been my favorite Chinese dish, something about the heat, sweet hints and crunchy peanuts makes it a regular dish ordered at any well respected Chinese restaurant. My version brings in a little extra heat with sweet undertones and a yummy crunch from both fresh zucchini and peanuts. I love this dish!
PS- No MSG! How great is that? :)

Serves 4
Cut five boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes.

Place cubed chicken in a mixing bowl.

Add in 1/2 a cup of soy sauce (low sodium, if you like).

Add one tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper and a 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar.
Mix all ingredients well and set aside to let marinade for at least 15 - 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cut off a 1 inch cube of fresh ginger from the root.

And using a hand grater, grate it down.

You will need one tablespoon of finely minced ginger and two tablespoons of finely minced garlic.

You will need about 1/4 cup of (a good handful) Japanese dried  peppers.
Split 3/4 of the chili's in half lengthwise and set aside, reserve the remaining chili's for later.

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Meanwhile add in 3 tablespoons of peanut oil, to a wok and heat on medium/high.

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A good wok can last you a lifetime, I have been pleasantly surprised by the longevity of my Blue Ginger wok. Purchased from Target for under $100, this wok has been in my life for at least 9 years, it's my rock-wok.

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Add in the minced ginger, garlic and sliced red peppers when the oil is hot.

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Stir and cook for at least 2 -3 minutes, frequently stirring.

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Add in the reserved chicken and stir all ingredients well to combine.

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Turn heat to high and let marinade reduce and evaporate.


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Meanwhile cut two small zucchini's in half lengthwise, and then half (in lengthwise) again. Slice zucchini into small 1/2 inch pieces.


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Your marinade, after it reduces & evaporates, should look something like this.

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Add in 1/4 cup of chicken stock, one tablespoon of flour, two tablespoons of Hoisin sauce, and stir. This will create and thicken your sauce.

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Add in two tablespoons of Hot Chili Oil, making sure to add in an additional 1/2 teaspoon of the actual flakes from the jar.

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Add in the zucchini and mix well.

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Next, add in a handful of unsalted, roasted peanuts (about a 1/2 cup) and guess what, stir again. Let cook for 1 minute.

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Meanwhile, slice 1/2 a cup of green onions.

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Add to the pot and mix to combine.

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Slice the remaining Japanese peppers in half lengthwise, add to pot and stir all ingredients to combine.

Remove from heat and serve with white rice and a tall drink of water. Enjoy!

2 comments:

  1. Wow! Great recipe! Thanks for it. I've always wanted to make Kung Pao Chicken, and thanks to you now I will! Yum! I can't wait!

    Bob

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great! Glad I could help. Let me know how it turns out!

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