Kung Pao Chicken

By AuntieGooper

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 1 Lb Chicken Breast, cut into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch pieces
• 2 Tbls Corn starch, for coating the chicken pieces
• 1/2 Tsp White Ground pepper
• 1 Tbls Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tbl Soy sauce
• 3 Scallions, whites finely minced, and greens finely sliced, reserved separately
• 1/2 cup fried fresh peanuts or roasted unsalted peanuts
• 3 Cloves fresh Garlic, minced
• 1 Tbl Fresh Ginger, minced
• 5 to 6 hot Chinese dry chili peppers
• Vegetable oil for frying the chicken pieces
• 1 small Green Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 small Red Bell Pepper, diced (optional)
• 4 to5 White Button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 2 Tbls soy sauce
• 2 Tbls Chinese cooking wine
• 1 Tbl Cornstarch
• 1 Tsp Asian chili-garlic paste, (optional)
• 2 Tbls Hoisin Sauce
• 1 Tsp Sesame oil
• 1/4 Cup Chicken stock
• 1 Tsp Sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Combine Chicken pieces with soy sauce, vinegar, white pepper and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken until well incorporated. Let it marinate refrigerated for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile mix together the sauce ingredients and set aside.

In a deep frying pan, heat oil and fry the chicken pieces, few pieces at a time; on medium- high heat until golden brown. Cut in one of the pieces of chicken to check for doneness, if the pieces are golden but the middle is still pink, lower the flame a bit and fry them until no longer pink in the center. Fry all the chicken pieces and put them aside on a paper towel lined plate.

Heat a large wok until it starts to smoke. Put 3 tablespoon of vegetable oil and quickly stir-fry the white parts of the scallions, dry chilis, garlic and ginger stirring continuously for about 15 seconds. Add the bell peppers,mushrooms, peanuts and stir to fry in the garlic ginger mixture until well coated and slightly cooked. Drop in the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Stir fry for about 30 seconds and pour in the sauce stir to coat the chicken pieces, heat through until the sauce starts to thicken. This process will be quick. Remove onto a serving platter and garnish with green parts of the scallions.