Kung Pao Stir-Fried Chicken with Peanuts

Published:  03/26/2018

Kung Pao Stir-Fried Chicken with Peanuts
This chicken with its complex sauce of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors is hard to pass up. 
You can prepare the ingredients for each step ahead of time, cover and refrigerate until you are ready to stir-fry.


If you are serving this with brown rice, start your brown rice first. Most brown rices take 45 minutes. 
Since there aren't many vegetables in this dish I like to serve with a vegetable on the side. My favorite is roasted broccoli. 
Grocery List
2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

4 tablespoons rice wine (found in the Asian section at the grocery store)

6.5 teaspoon cornstarch

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4” pieces. I used 3 large Costco boneless chicken breasts, cut up pieces measured almost 3 cups

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons sugar

4 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

2 bunches green onions

1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

6 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 7 cloves)

1 teaspoon Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce, Dynasty Thai Chili Garlic Paste, Huy Fong Chili Paste, or Lee Kum Kee Chili Garlic Sauce

1 1/2 cups sliced water chestnuts, drained

½ cup unsalted, peanuts

Instructions
Step 1 Marinated Chicken. Combine these ingredients in a large bowl. Stir, cover and refrigerate if stir-frying later. Let site at least 20 minutes

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine also called Mirin (found in the Asian section at the grocery store)
• 5 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces

Step 2: Combine together in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate if stir-frying later.

• 2 tablespoons minced green onions
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger ( I like to grate mine)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 7 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon (use more for more spice) Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce, Dynasty Thai Chili Garlic Paste, Huy Fong Chili Paste, or Lee Kum Kee Chili Garlic Sauce

Step 3 Sauce: Combine together in a small bowl, stir, cover and refrigerate if stir-frying later.

• 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine also called Mirin
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Step 4: Combine together in a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate if stir-frying later.

• 1 1/2 cups drained, sliced water chestnuts
• 1 cup (1/2-inch) sliced green onion tops

Step 5: Measure out peanuts into a small bowl:

• ½ cup unsalted, peanuts

Step 6: Stir-fry. Gather all 5 bowls of ingredients and a wok spatula or other large heat-proof spatula. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken mixture; stir-fry 4 to 6 minutes or until chicken is almost done about 135 degrees. Remove from pan and put in a large bowl; cover with foil, set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in pan. Add step 2 bowl ingredients and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add step 3 bowl ingredients, and cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly.

Stir in cooked chicken, and step 4 ingredients and peanuts and cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve over hot cooked rice.