Skip takeout, and instead make this easy and lighter version of spicy kung pao chicken with plenty of red peppers, broccoli and peanuts.
I know this sounds ridiculous, but I feel responsible for our neighborhood Chinese restaurant going out of business.
Yes, that is a lot of blame to put squarely on my shoulders.
For a long time when I walked by, I noticed they were never full.
I figured they must have had a booming takeout business to balance out the handful of occupied tables.
Clearly I was wrong.
I was being naïve not considering the competition for take-out. With how easy it is to have dinner delivered, most people do not restrict their options to a place in their immediate area.
Of course I don’t know what happened, but the lack of orders, including me, must have led to the shut down.
Now that I don’t have Chinese food right outside my door, I’ve been craving it A LOT.
And I can’t remember the last time I ordered delivery, so it felt weird to just start now.
Instead of finding somewhere else to order from, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
Besides cashew chicken, kung pao chicken is one of my favorites, so I made my own version of this spicy, sweet and salty classic.
Served with brown rice, it turned out to be an easy weeknight stir-fry that that’s lighter than the restaurant version.
As with any stir-fry, it is important to have all your ingredients ready before you start cooking on the stove.
First, I whisk together the marinade for the chicken in a small bowl. Its a mix of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanut oil, salt, pepper and cornstarch to thicken it.
The chicken marinates in the sauce for 30 minutes.
Then I heat vegetable oil in a wok or skillet. When it is hot, I brown the chicken on both sides.
After that I spoon the chicken onto a plate and add a little more oil to the pan.
I stir-fry sliced scallions, garlic, ginger and chilies. until they are fragrant.
Next, I add the red peppers and broccoli cooking them for a few minutes.
Finally it is time to put the chicken back in with the peanuts and remaining sauce, letting it bubble.
I serve kung pao chicken with brown rice.
PrintSkip takeout, and instead make this easy and lighter version of spicy kung pao chicken with plenty of red peppers, broccoli and peanuts.
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 scallions, sliced thinly, white and green parts separated
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 dried red chilies, halved
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 ounces broccoli florets
1 cup salted roasted peanuts
Brown rice for serving
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanut oil, salt, pepper and cornstarch. Add the chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Cook the chicken in a single layer until it has browned and is almost cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the wok and transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining vegetable oil to the wok. Sauté the white parts of the scallions, ginger, garlic and chilies until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the peppers and broccoli sautéing until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken, peanuts and remaining soy sauce simmering until it has thickened, about 2 minutes. Toss in the scallion greens and serve with rice.
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