This is one of my all-time favorite Chinese dishes and cooking it is simple and quick, even if a bunch of preparation is needed. I like it fairly hot, but a milder version is also flavorful and not-too-spicy.

Kung Pao Chicken

12 oz chicken breast meat, cubed[1]
one orange pepper, cubed
two stalks celery, cubed
half of a small onion, chopped
two carrots, cubed or sliced
4 Tb peanut oil [2]
2 or 3 long dried red chilies, seeded and cut
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
4 to 6 thin slices of fresh ginger root [3]
1 Tb white wine [4]
3 scallions, cut into rounds [5]
2 oz roasted peanuts [6]

Marinade
1/3 tsp salt
2 tsp thin soy sauce
2 tsp wine (dry)
1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tb egg white, lightly beaten

Sauce
2 Tb thick soy sauce [7]
1 or 2 Tb chili sauce [8]
3 tsp rice vinegar
3 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
8 Tb clear stock or water

Combine all marinade ingredients and add to the chicken. Marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.

Prepare the sauce by combining all sauce ingredients and set aside.

Cut up all ingredients first. Always. [9]

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until smoke rises. Add the oil and swirl it around. Then add the dried chili, stir, and add garlic and ginger and stir to release the aroma. This is commonly referred to as "arousing the wok" - the process scents and flavors the oil. [10]

Add the chicken (with marinade), and turn and toss the chicken for about a minute. Splash in the wine around the sides of the wok and toss, then add the white parts of the scallions and the other vegetables. Scoop and toss for another minute or so. Check the chicken, it should be almost cooked through.

Stir the sauce and add it to the wok, stirring while it thickens. Add the green scallions, turn and toss, and then the peanuts. Stir to mix, and serve immediately.

For a hotter Kung Pao, add more sriracha to the sauce, and add a few more dried red chilies to the arousing process. If your guests so desire, serve with a small plate of habenero chilies so that they can set their mouths on fire if they really want to.[11]


[1] A proper size cube for chicken is somewhere between a half-inch to 3/4-inch on all sides.
[2] I use peanut oil because it has a very high smoking point and the higher the heat, the more tender and juicy the chicken.
[3] Ginger root found in most supermarkets has a tough skin on it - this skin should always be peeled before using the ginger. 'Young' ginger has a very soft, shiny skin and does not need to be peeled. Young ginger is worth the time and effort to find it.
[4] Use a dry white wine or a dry sherry. Sweet wines will not give the proper taste.
[5] Scallions, green onions, or spring onions are all pretty much interchangable, if not the same thing.
[6] Peanuts are the only thing that is an absolute 'must' in any Kung Pao recipe. If you don't have peanuts, it's just hot and spicy chicken. Still good, but not Kung Pao.
[7] Thick soy sauce is different than the table soy sauce sold in grocery stores. However, you can use 'regular' soy sauce.
[8] I use either Siracha or Chili-Garlic sauce. As with any time using spicy ingredients, use the suggested amount as a guideline and be flexible! Your hot sauce may be hotter than mine.
[9] mise en place. Having everything ready to be cooked immediately really hurries the actual cooking process.
[10] Many people will scoop out the essentially deep-fried ginger and garlic pieces prior to cooking the rest of the ingredients.
[11] A mild Kung-pao uses one scant tablespoon of chili sauce in the sauce, and only one whole, seedless dried pepper during the arousing process. Remove the pepper, garlic, and ginger before adding the chicken.

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