Kung Pao Chicken

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My parents opened a Chinese-American restaurant when I was younger. This was one of my parents’ favorite dishes because it went so well with rice.

My dad’s version of kung pao chicken is more americanized. In China, this dish is made a little differently (more spicy) and originates from Sichuan province. This kung pao chicken recipe is so fragrant and will definitely be a repeat recipe in your household! Hope you like my dad’s recipe!

Ingredients you need for your kung pao chicken:

Chicken Marinade:

• chicken thighs
• garlic
• ginger
• green onion
• soy sauce
• corn starch
• oyster sauce
• shaoxing cooking wine (can sub with white wine or sake)
• white pepper
• salt
• chicken bouillon
• olive oil or vegetable oil

Sauce:

• sugar
• soy sauce
• oyster sauce
• salt
• corn starch
• water

Stir-Fry:

• vegetable oil
• marinated chicken
• dried red pepper
• garlic clove
• ginger
• onion
• celery stalks
• bell pepper (green or red, I used half green and half red for color)
• chicken bouillon
• water

Garnish:

• peanuts

Steps to make the kung pao chicken:

• Step 1: (Chicken Marinade Step) Start cutting the chicken thigh in 1 inch pieces and place in a bowl. To marinate the chicken thigh, add 2 minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon ginger and 1 sliced green onion.
• Step 2. Then, add 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1/2 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine, a pinch of white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon, and 1/2 tablespoon oil. Mix well and marinate for a minimum of 1 hour to overnight. My preference is to marinate overnight so the chicken is extra flavorful.
• Step 3. (Sauce Step) Prepare the sauce before stir frying. Mix 1/2 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 tablespoon 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce, pinch of salt, 1/2 tablespoon corn starch, and 3 tablespoon water. Make sure that the corn starch is mixed in and there are no clumps. Tip: Before you add the sauce in the stir fry, give it a good mix because the corn starch settles at the bottom after a few minutes after mixing.
• Step 4. Prepare the stir fry ingredients. Chop garlic, ginger, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Then, set aside. The reason to chop these beforehand is because the stir fry process is quite fast and you want to have these ingredients ready to add in the pan quickly.
• Step 5. (Stir-Fry Step)Heat pan or wok on high heat. After the pan is hot (see smoke), add 1 tablespoon oil. Then add your marinated chicken and fry until golden brown and make sure the chicken is cooked through (takes 3-4 minutes). Cover the pan when the chicken is cooking to prevent oil splatter. After chicken is golden brown, set aside.
• Step 6. The pan should still be hot (on med-high heat) and has oil left from frying the chicken. Add an additional 1 tbs oil to the pan. Fry the red chilis, garlic, and ginger until the red chilis turn dark red (1 minute). Keep mixing the ingredients to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn. Add onions and fry for a minute. Next, add celery and bell pepper, then stir fry the veggies for 2 minutes.
• Step 7. Add 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon to the pan, which helps soften the veggies. Stir well and add the sauce (from step 2) when the water starts to evaporate.
• Step 8. After the sauce starts to thicken, add the peanuts and stir. Then turn off the heat.
• Step 9. Serve on a plate with some jasmine rice and top with some more peanuts if you like. Hope you enjoy!