Homemade Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
10 minutes
Servings:
4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or Chinese cooking wine)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 pound chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 dried chilis, cut into pieces (discard seeds to reduce spiciness)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
  • 3 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
  • ¾ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
Directions
  1. In a bowl, mix together the light and dark soy sauce with the cornstarch to dissolve it.
  2. Add the Chinese black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, and sesame oil.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of the sauce to a bowl with the chicken and marinate it for at least 15 minutes.
  4. Add the water to the remainder of the sauce and set it aside.
  5. Heat the vegetable oil in the wok over high heat.
  6. Add the garlic, chilis, and ginger and cook for 30 seconds until the aromas are released.
  7. Add the chicken to the wok and stir fry for a few minutes until it begins to cook, then toss in the green onions.
  8. Stir fry everything for another 2 minutes, then add in the sauce and Sichuan pepper.
  9. Bring the contents to a simmer, stirring constantly as the sauce thickens.
  10. Just before serving, stir in the peanuts.
  11. Serve the chicken immediately with rice.