Kung Pao Chicken

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.

How To Make Kung Pao Chicken

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.

Kung Pao Chicken

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 42 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 1x

Skip takeout, and instead make this easy and lighter version of spicy kung pao chicken with plenty of red peppers, broccoli and peanuts.

Ingredients

• 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

Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.