Cassie’s Ruminations

Kung Pao Chicken

This recipe is mostly inspired by this one from Simply Recipes, with the addition of water chestnuts and zucchini. Neither of us were fans of this version. It was mostly bland, and the slight numbing from the Sichuan peppercorns was just odd. Next time I’ll find a few new launching points to try. This may well be your ideal, though, so I’ll give it a post!

Kung Pao Chicken
Serves 4 generously

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2 lbs

For the stir fry:
2 tbsp canola oil, divided
6 medium zucchini, about 2 lbs
1 8-oz can sliced water chestnuts
1 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns
8 small red dried chiles
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger
4 green onions, chopped
3/4 cup of roasted, unsalted peanuts

For the marinade:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sherry, sake, or Shaoxing rice wine
2 tsp cornstarch

For the sauce:
1 tbsp sherry, sake, or Shaoxing rice wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch

Mix the marinade ingredients in a large zip top bag. Slice the chicken into bite sized pieces and toss them with the marinade. Seal the bag and set aside.

Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Slice the zucchini in quarters lengthwise, then into 1/4 thick slices. Drain the water chestnuts well. Set aside as well.

Press the garlic into a small bowl with the grated ginger and chopped green onion. Set aside.

In another small bowl, place the whole chiles and peppercorns.

Pour 1 tbsp of the canola oil into the wok and heat. Add the zucchini and let rest for 1 minute to start browning, then stir fry for 4-5 minutes to cook through. Add the water chestnuts and stir to combine. Cook for another minute to warm through. Pour the veggies into a bowl and set aside.

Pour the second tbsp of canola oil and the tsp of sesame oil into the wok and heat. Add the chiles and peppercorns and fry for 30 seconds to infuse the oil and bloom the spice. Add the chicken and let cook for 1-2 minutes to get a nice brown on one side. Add the ginger, garlic, and green onions, and stir fry the chicken until cooked through, about another 6-8 minutes.

Whisk the sauce briefly to reincorporate the cornstarch. Pour it over the chicken and toss to combine. When it comes to a boil and thickens, add the veggies and peanuts and toss to combine well. Serve hot.