I have to admit that one of my favorite Chinese dishes is Kung Pao Chicken. The one at my local Chinese take-out is delicious but doesn’t have the veggies I love. This Kung Pao Chicken recipe from guest blogger Karyl at Karyls Kulinary Krusade has all the taste and even more yummy veggies!
This Kung Pao Chicken recipe has everything you could want in a dish. You can control the salt and you can make it spicy or turn down the heat.
After a few days of heavy Thanksgiving foods I always like to change it up with something lighter and healthier. This Kung Pao Chicken recipe certainly fits the bill of fare. Visit Karyl at her blog Karyl’s Kulinary Krusade to learn more about her recipes, restaurant reviews, and more. And remember dinner should be dinner easy!
Kung Pao Chicken recipe
Ingredients
- Marinade
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
- One tsp. Canola or vegetable oil
- 2 tsps. Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Sauce
- 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
- One tsp. Canola or vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- Chicken
- 1 Tbsp. Canola or vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ½ cup each of red, yellow, and green bell pepper, chopped
- Handful of snow peas, sliced diagonally in thirds
- 2 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- 4 green onions, chopped
Lets start cooking
Instructions
Add soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Canola oil, and cornstarch to medium bowl, and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, up to 24 hours. If marinating longer than 30 minutes, put into fridge. Remove chicken from fridge (if necessary) and let it come to room temperature.
In another bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, Canola oil, and cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.
Drain marinade from chicken, and discard marinade. In a wok or large skillet over medium heat, toast peanuts until they are golden brown. Remove and set aside. In same wok or skillet, add Canola oil. Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes and raw garlic, and cook until garlic just begins to turn golden. Do not allow garlic to burn, or it will turn rancid. Turn heat to medium high. Add in the yellow onion and bell peppers. Saute for about 5 minutes until they are slightly softened. Add in snow peas and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Stir in grated ginger and cook for approximately 1 minute. Move onion and pepper mix to the sides of the skillet, and add a little more oil, if necessary. Add chicken to the center of the skillet, and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.
Mix onions and pepper with chicken, and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink. Pour in the sauce and mix to coat the chicken and vegetables. Stir in the peanuts, and sprinkle the green onions on top.
Serve over white rice