Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken
The dish is made with diced chicken, peanuts, and chili peppers, all stir-fried in a wok with a savory sauce. It was created by Ding Baozhen (1820-1886), a governor of Sichuan Province during the late Qing Dynasty, who held the title Kung Pao. In honor of him, the dish was named Kung Pao Ji Ding, with ji ding meaning diced chicken. Over time, Kung Pao Chicken has become one of the most popular Sichuan dishes and has spread throughout the world, with variations often incorporating additional ingredients such as vegetables, tofu, or seafood. Ingredient Tips: This recipe uses one egg white - save the egg yolk to make General Tso's Chicken. Chinese black vinegar can be replaced by balsamic vinegar. Roasted peanuts can be replaced by other nuts, such as walnuts and cashews. Chinese name: 四川宫保鸡丁 (si chuan gong bao ji ding).
Ingredients
| 454 g | boneless chicken breast |
| 3.8 g | salt |
| 1.2 g | onion powder |
| 9.3 g | Chinese cooking wine |
| 11 g | cornstarch (for marinade) |
| 1 | egg white |
| 4 g | Sichuan peppercorns |
| 8 g | dried red chilies |
| 34 g | cooking oil |
| 16 g | Sichuan dou ban jiang (spicy bean paste) |
| 9 g | minced garlic |
| 3 g | minced ginger |
| 25 g | brown sugar |
| 16.6 g | soy sauce |
| 24 g | Chinese black vinegar |
| 5.5 g | dark soy sauce |
| 5 g | cornstarch (for sauce) |
| 120 g | water |
| 30 g | scallions, diced |
| 50 g | roasted peanuts |
Instructions
- Dice the chicken breast into 1/2-inch cubes and place in a bowl. Add salt, onion powder, and Chinese cooking wine and mix continuously for about 5 minutes until the meat becomes sticky.
- Add cornstarch and egg white, and continue to mix until smooth and velvety. Set it aside for 20 minutes. (Chef's Secret: Cornstarch and egg white marinade is a method in Chinese cuisine called velveting. It creates a starchy layer that preserves the moisture of the meat while cooking, which leads to juicy, tender meat.)
- Toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a wok over low heat for 2 minutes, then grind them finely with a spice grinder. (Chef's Secret: Sichuan peppercorns are not spicy but they have a numbing effect. If you're new to this ingredient, use 1 tsp instead of 1 Tbsp because it can be overly powerful.)
- Cut the dried red chilies into 1/2-inch long pieces with a pair of scissors. Discard the seeds and set the chilies aside.
- Turn the heat to high and heat the wok until it is smoking hot. Add the oil and toss it around to create a non-stick layer at the bottom of the wok. Add the marinated chicken and spread the meat so most pieces are touching the bottom. Do not stir or flip the meat too early, or the starch will stick to the wok. Wait a minute for the starch to set, then stir to cook for 2-3 minutes or until the chicken changes color from pink to white.
- Turn off the heat and take the chicken out of the wok. Tilt the wok so the excess oil is left behind.
- Add Sichuan dou ban jiang to the same wok and stir over low heat for 1 minute or until the oil turns bright red.
- Add the minced garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorn powder, dried red chilies, and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar melts.
- Introduce the chicken back into the wok along with the rest of the seasonings: the soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, and dark soy sauce, and stir well.
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, quickly mix 2 tsps of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of water until no lumps remain, then pour the mixture into the wok. Stir for 2 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
- Add the diced scallions and the toasted peanuts and toss thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve with white rice.