Kung pao chicken
A Sichuan classic of diced chicken, dried chillies and peanuts in a glossy sweet-sour sauce with a tingle of Sichuan pepper.
- 30 min20 prep · 10 cook
- MediumDifficulty
- 500 kcalper serving
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken thighs, diced600 g
- Dried red chillies10
- Sichuan peppercorns1 tsp
- Roasted unsalted peanuts80 g
- garlic3 cloves
- Fresh ginger, finely chopped1 tbsp
- Spring onions, sliced4
- Soy sauce4 tbsp
- Chinese black vinegar2 tbsp
- Shaoxing rice wine1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Cornflour2 tsp
- Vegetable oil3 tbsp
Missing something? Ingredients with × can be left out.
Steps
- 1
Toss the chicken with 1 tbsp soy sauce, the rice wine and 1 tsp cornflour.
- 2
Stir together the remaining soy sauce, the vinegar, sugar, remaining cornflour and 3 tbsp water.
- 3
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the chillies and Sichuan pepper for a few seconds until fragrant, without burning.
- 4
Add the chicken and stir-fry over a high heat until golden and cooked.
- 5
Add the garlic, ginger and white spring onion, then pour in the sauce and toss until glossy.
- 6
Stir in the peanuts and green spring onion and serve with rice.
Tips and questions
- Is kung pao chicken very spicy?
- It’s more fragrant than fiery: whole chillies flavour the oil without much heat. Break them open for more heat, or use fewer for less.
- Can I replace the peanuts?
- For a nut allergy, use toasted sunflower seeds or diced water chestnuts for crunch. Cashews work if only peanuts are a problem.
- What can I use instead of black vinegar?
- Balsamic vinegar mixed with a little rice or cider vinegar is the closest substitute.
Enjoy your meal!
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