Description
Spicy kung pao chicken delights palates with complex Sichuan flavors from southwestern China. Crispy chicken, crunchy peanuts, and bold sauce make this classic dish a perfect balance of heat and umami for home cooks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground chicken
- 1 red bell pepper, minced
- 1 large zucchini, minced
- ¼ cup green onion (white part only), diced ½-inch pieces
- 2 tbsps vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground garlic
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cooking white wine
- 2 ½ tbsps soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 4 tbsps water
- 2 oz (57 g) dry roasted peanuts, crushed
Instructions
- Searing Protein: Heat wok on high, creating an intensely hot cooking surface. Rapidly sear ground chicken, fragmenting meat into delicate crumbles until achieving a rich caramelized exterior and eliminating raw characteristics.
- Vegetable Preparation: Introduce bell peppers and zucchini into the scorching wok, executing swift stir-frying techniques to develop subtle caramelization while maintaining crisp texture. Quickly incorporate green onions, garlic, ginger, and aromatic spices to infuse complex flavor profiles.
- Sauce Integration: Return golden-brown chicken to the vegetable medley, creating a harmonious culinary composition. Drench the mixture with prepared sauce, gently folding to ensure comprehensive coating and allowing sauce to reduce and thicken, concentrating flavor intensity.
- Finishing Touch: Eliminate wok from heat source, garnishing the dish with crushed roasted peanuts, which provide a delightful textural contrast and nutty essence, elevating the overall gastronomic experience.
Notes
- Crumble Chicken Carefully: Break ground chicken into uniform, small pieces to ensure even cooking and optimal sauce absorption.
- Manage Heat Wisely: Maintain high heat initially for browning, then reduce to medium to prevent burning delicate ingredients like garlic and spices.
- Control Vegetable Texture: Stir-fry vegetables quickly to preserve their crisp-tender quality and vibrant color, avoiding overcooking.
- Sauce Coating Technique: Gently stir sauce to evenly distribute flavors and allow it to slightly thicken, creating a glossy, rich coating on the chicken and vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg