Kung Pao Chicken with Peanuts and Dried Chilies

A savory-sour Sichuan wok dish with tender chicken, crisp vegetables and roasted peanuts. The dried chilies add pleasant heat and toasty notes.

By yumbelo · 2 servings · 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 300 g chicken breast fillet
• 1 EL soy sauce
• 1 TL cornstarch
• 2 EL cooking oil
• 4 Stück dried red chilies
• 1 TL Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 Stück ginger, thumb-sized piece
• 3 Stück garlic cloves
• 1 Stück red bell pepper
• 2 Stück spring onions
• 50 g roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1 EL rice vinegar
• 1 TL sugar
• 150 g jasmine rice

Method

1. Cook the rice in plenty of water according to the package instructions, drain and keep warm.
2. Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized cubes, mix with 1 tbsp soy sauce and the cornstarch, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. For the sauce, stir together 1 tbsp soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and 3 tbsp water in a small bowl.
4. Deseed the bell pepper and cut into pieces. Slice the spring onions into rings, keeping the white and green parts separate.
5. Finely chop the ginger and garlic. Deseed the chilies or halve them.
6. Heat a wok or large pan over high heat, add 1 tbsp cooking oil and toast the chilies and Sichuan peppercorns in it for 30 seconds.
7. Add the chicken cubes and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden on the outside and cooked through. Remove from the wok.
8. Add the remaining oil to the wok, then stir-fry the ginger, garlic and white parts of the spring onions for 30 seconds.
9. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until crisp-tender.
10. Return the chicken to the wok, pour in the sauce and let it thicken while stirring.
11. Fold in the peanuts, sprinkle with the green spring onion rings and serve with the rice.