Kung Pao Chicken

This spicy chicken dish is very popular in the United States originted from the Sichuan Province of China, named after Ding Baozhen, the Qing dynasty official in Sichuan called Kung Pao Chicken or Gongbao Jiding. There are a few versions of this dish with different types of chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. The original Sichuan version uses Shaoxing wine, hot chili peppers, roasted peanuts, soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar and Sichuan peppercorns. Guizhou province of southeast of Sichuan uses fermented chili paste mainly along with ginger, garlic, other seasonings with the same cooking method. Western version uses easy to find ingredients and some vegetables. They leave out Sichuan peppercorn on purpose I guess because I never tasted this spice in Kung Pao Chicken in  restaurants at all. 

This homemade Kung Pao chicken tastes as good as Chinese restaurants and much healthier. I make it often with whatever ingredients on hand. It may not be authentic but it's really easy and delicious. For veggies I use different colors of bell pepper, celery, zucchini and green onions. I love to combine Sichuan and Western style and I use tiny amount of Sichuan peppercorns to balance its hot and numbing taste on the tongue, famously known as Mala flavor. It's really weird tasting. Simply omit Sichuan peppercorn if you are too sensitive to it. Use more chilies as per taste. Substitute Shaoxing wine with dry sherry and black vinegar with rice vinegar or regular vinegar. Here is my take on Kung Pao Chicken. Enjoy this spicy, salty, umami with plain steamed rice!

Ingredients~

(US customary units)

For the marinade~

1 lb. pound boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into small pieces

2 tbsp tapioca or potato or cornstarch

1 tsp each ginger and garlic paste

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1/4 tsp hot chili powder

1/4 tsp black freshly ground pepper 

For the sauce~

2 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

1/8 cup low sodium chicken broth or water

1/8 cup water

1 tsp black bean paste(optional)

1 1/4  tsp brown sugar

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

2-3 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp tapioca or potato or cornstarch

 

For the veggies and spices~

2 cups zucchini ,cut into small pieces

1 cup red bell pepper, cut into small pieces

2 tsp each minced ginger and garlic

1/8 tsp salt

2 tablespoons flavorless oil

A handful of dried hot red chilies or as per heat tolerance 

1/4 teaspoon crushed Sichuan peppercorns

1/3 -1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, slightly broken

1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)

Note~

if needed, make more sauce with chicken stock, soy sauce, black vinegar and sugar. 

Method~

Marinate the chicken and set aside for 15 minutes. Whisk together sauce in a bowl until the mixture is smooth and set aside. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of oil in a wok/pan over medium-high heat and stir fry the chilies and set aside. Place the chicken in the hot pan and stir fry until light browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the wok/pan and set aside.

Pour remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil into the hot wok/pan, and stir fry peppercorns for a few seconds and immediately add in the veggies along with minced ginger, garlic and salt. Stir fry the veggies until they become slightly tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add in chicken, stirring well all together and pour in the sauce mixture and continue stir to combine about one minute or until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Add more sauce as needed. Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame oil, roasted chilies and roasted peanuts. Serve with plain steamed rice. Mmmm delicious! 

Happy Cooking!