Kung pao chicken
J. Kenji López-Alt · ♥ 8.2K likes · 395K views · 4 min video
Read about breast in the BrightCulinary Book
Timestamp
Ingredients
Method
Techniques
- oil
Rub a thin coating of oil into a wok over the highest heat until it smokes heavily, about 450 to 500 degrees, so nothing sticks.
Kung pao chicken in real time
- canola oil
Add a few tablespoons of fresh neutral oil, which is hot but will not burn.
Preheating the wok with a thin film of oil
- 10 whole arbol chilies
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
Add the snipped, seeded arbol chilies and Sichuan peppercorns, only a few seconds so they infuse without burning.
Marinate the chicken about 20 minutes with Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, cornstarch and a big pinch of kosher salt.
- 12 oz chicken breast
- 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- kosher salt
Immediately add the chicken; do not overcrowd, no more than about 12 ounces at a time, cooking in batches for more than two people.
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger
As soon as the chicken looks white outside, before it is cooked through, add the sliced garlic and julienned ginger.
- 6 whole scallions
- ¾ cup roasted peanuts
Add the scallions and roasted peanuts and heat through.
Scallions and peanuts, cut alike
Stir the honey, black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce and cornstarch together in a bowl with a fork.
The pre-mixed sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp chinkang or black vinegar
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp cornstarch
- water or chicken broth
Add the sauce; if it clumps in a too-hot wok, add water or chicken broth a tablespoon at a time, tossing until the sauce is glossy and thinly coats the food.