A Kung Pao Chicken Recipe You Must Taste

You just came home from work terribly exhausted, and now the last thing you want to do is actively brainstorm what to make for dinner. Don’t worry, we are more than happy to provide you with some inspiration in the kitchen. Are you craving something salty? Sweet? How about something Spicy? If any of those flavours sound appealing, then you MUST try this all-encompassing stir-fried chicken. 

Kung Pao Chicken is a classic Chinese Chicken dish comprised of chicken, veggies and peanuts simultaneously providing all the necessary flavours: salty, sweet, and spicy. It takes no more than 30 minutes to whip up this mouth-watering dish, plus it’s too good not to share!

Calories: 692 

Serves: 4

Cooking and Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

To Marinade:

• 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons corn starch 
• 1 ½ lb chicken tenderloins (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry 

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1½ tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅓ cup water

Stir-fry:

• 2½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large red bell pepper (diced)
• 2 stalks celery, sliced thinly (halved lengthwise)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
• ⅓ cup whole roasted unsalted cashews or peanuts

Instructions: 

1. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the dry sherry, soy sauce, and cornstarch until the cornstarch dissolves. Then add the chicken and toss to coat it. Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Chop veggies, scallions, and garlic while the chicken marinates. 
2. In a different medium size bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until the cornstarch is dissolved. 
3. Over high heat, heat a large non-stick skillet until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Then add the diced bell pepper, celery, and salt. Cook and stir frequently, for approximately 5 minutes until the veggies are softened and starting to brown. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and set it aside.
4. Add an additional ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan and set over high heat. Add half of the chicken without crowding the pan and cook for about 1 ½ minutes until it is brown on one side. Then turn the chicken pieces and continue cooking for about 1½ minutes more. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the peppers and celery. Add ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the rest of the chicken and cook for about 1 ½ minutes until golden on one side. 
5. Turn over the chicken pieces and cook for 1 minute. Add ½ tablespoon oil to the pan with scallions and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more while stirring with the chicken.
6. Add the reserved vegetables and chicken and sauce to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 30 seconds until the chicken and vegetables are warmed through, and the sauce is thickened. Then stir in the nuts. 

Jackie Marson | Contributing Writer