Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken is one of the most famous Sichuan dishes in the world. Tender diced chicken, crispy peanuts, fresh cucumber and carrot in a sweet, sour and slightly spicy sauce.
Yield: 4 people
Calories: 450kcal
Materials
- 1 chicken breast about 250g
- 1 cucumber
- 1 carrot
- 1 handful peanuts about 50g
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Pixian doubanjiang broad bean paste with chili
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- For the marinade:
- 1 tablespoon cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Dice the chicken breast, the cucumber and the carrot. Mince the garlic. Prepare a bowl of raw peanuts.
- Mix the diced chicken with 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Marinate it for 10 minutes.
- Heat the wok with oil, and pour in the peanuts. Stir-fry them over medium-low heat for about 4 minutes, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt, mix well and transfer them out. Add more oil in the wok, and stir-fry the diced chicken until it turns white. Add the carrot and stir-fry for 3 minutes, then transfer them out together.
- Leave the oil in the wok, and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Add 1 tablespoon of Pixian doubanjiang, and stir-fry it over medium-low heat until the red oil comes out. Pour the chicken and carrot back into the wok. Mix 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of water to make the sauce, then pour the sauce into the wok.
- Simmer it over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the cucumber and stir-fry for 1 minute. Finally add the fried peanuts, toss them evenly and serve.
Notes
Notes:
1. The peanuts must be fried over medium-low heat with patience. High heat will make them burnt outside and raw inside.
2. Doubanjiang is salty, so taste the sauce before adding extra salt.
3. If you like the traditional Sichuan flavor, add a few dried chili peppers and a small pinch of Sichuan peppercorns when sautéing the garlic.
4. Chicken thigh can be used instead of chicken breast for a juicier taste, and cashews can replace the peanuts.
1. The peanuts must be fried over medium-low heat with patience. High heat will make them burnt outside and raw inside.
2. Doubanjiang is salty, so taste the sauce before adding extra salt.
3. If you like the traditional Sichuan flavor, add a few dried chili peppers and a small pinch of Sichuan peppercorns when sautéing the garlic.
4. Chicken thigh can be used instead of chicken breast for a juicier taste, and cashews can replace the peanuts.