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Kung pao chicken

Sichuan classic: chicken, peanuts and dried chillies with that numbing Sichuan-pepper buzz, over rice.

30 min 25 min hands-on Serves 4 Asian

Kung pao chicken is a Sichuan stir-fry of diced chicken, peanuts, and dried chillies in a sauce that is savoury, slightly sweet, and tingly. The signature numbing heat comes from Sichuan peppercorns. It is fast, punchy, and best cooked hot and quick.

Ingredients

  • 300 g jasmine rice
  • salt, a pinch, for the rice
  • 500 g chicken thigh, boneless, skinless, cut into 2cm pieces
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 for the chicken, 2 for the sauce
  • 2 tsp cornflour, 1 for the chicken, 1 for the sauce
  • 1 tbsp black vinegar
  • 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 thumb ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm batons, whites and greens apart
  • 8 dried red chillies
  • 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 80 g peanuts, roasted, unsalted

Method

  1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until it runs almost clear. Put it in a pan with 500ml of water and a pinch of salt, bring to the boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat until the water is absorbed and steam holes dot the surface, 10 to 12 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave it covered to steam for 10 minutes.
  2. While the rice cooks, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of the cornflour and leave for 10 minutes; the coating keeps it tender in the hot wok. Mix the remaining soy, the black vinegar, shaoxing wine, sugar, remaining cornflour and 3 tablespoons of water into a sauce.
  3. While it sits, prepare the rest, since the cooking takes under 10 minutes: slice the garlic and ginger, cut the spring onions, and snip the chillies in half, shaking out most of the seeds so the dish is fragrant rather than fierce.
  4. Put the wok over a high heat with the oil. Add the chillies and peppercorns and stir for 10 to 15 seconds, until the chillies darken to deep red and the peppercorns smell fragrant, then add the chicken straight away to cool the oil. Sear for 1 minute, then stir-fry until golden with no pink in the thickest piece, 4 to 5 minutes.
  5. Add the garlic, ginger and spring onion whites and toss for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir the sauce, pour it in and toss for 30 to 60 seconds, until it thickens and coats the chicken in a glossy glaze. Add the peanuts and spring onion greens and toss once more.
  6. Serve straight away with the fluffed rice. The dried chillies and peppercorns are there for fragrance and that numbing tingle, so eat around the chillies and push them to the side of the plate.

Tips

  • Toast the dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns briefly in oil first to release their aroma and that numbing warmth.
  • Velvet the chicken by marinating it with a little cornflour and soy so it stays tender in the wok.
  • Add the peanuts near the end so they stay crunchy rather than going soft in the sauce.

Common questions

What gives kung pao its tingly heat?

Sichuan peppercorns create the characteristic numbing, tingling sensation, distinct from the chilli heat of the dried peppers.

Can I leave out the peanuts?

Yes, you can omit them for a nut allergy or swap in toasted cashews. The dish loses some crunch but is still tasty.