Kung Pao Chicken with Roasted Peanuts and Dried Chilies

Name: Kung Pao Chicken with Roasted Peanuts and Dried Chilies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1,5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 0,5 cup roasted unsalted peanuts; 10 dried red chilies; 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 1 tbsp sugar; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced; 4 green onions; 2 tbsp peanut oil; 1 tsp sesame oil

A fiery, tangy stir-fry from Sichuan tradition, balancing crunchy peanuts, tingling peppercorns, and glossy chicken in a sweet-sour-spicy sauce.

Time: 30 min
Servings: 4
Level: Intermediate

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Original Olivi recipe · nutrition calculated per serving

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4servings

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Instructions

8 steps · tick them off as you cook

Cut 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs into 3/4-inch cubes. Toss with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 2 tsp cornstarch; rest 15 minutes.
15 minutes
Mix the sauce: 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp black vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cornstarch, and 2 tbsp chicken stock.
Toast 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok over medium heat for 60 seconds until intensely fragrant, then crush lightly in a mortar.
Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil in the wok over medium heat. Add 8-10 dried red chilies (snipped) and the crushed peppercorns; sizzle 30 seconds until the oil turns fragrant and reddish: do not burn.
Crank heat to high, add the chicken in one layer, and sear undisturbed for 90 seconds until golden, then stir-fry 2 more minutes until nearly cooked through.
Add 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp minced ginger, and the white parts of 4 green onions; toss 30 seconds until aromatic.
Pour in the sauce and stir-fry 1 minute until it thickens into a glossy glaze coating each piece.
1 minute
Off the heat, fold in 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts and the green onion tops. Finish with 1 tsp sesame oil and serve at once.

Chef's tip

Bloom the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns in warm oil, not hot: burning them turns the whole dish bitter. You want a nutty, tingly perfume, not acrid smoke.