Takeout Style Kung Pao Chicken Recipes

KUNG PAO CHICKEN (THE BEST RECIPE!)

Steps:

• Cut the chicken meat into small cubes, rinse in water, pat dry with paper towels and marinate with the ingredients above for 30 minutes.
• Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
• Heat up a wok with one tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the marinated chicken until they are 70% cook. Dish out and set aside. Clean the wok and add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until it's fully heated. Add in the ginger and garlic slices and do a quick stir before adding in the dried red chilies.
• Stir fry the dried red chilies until aromatic and smell spicy, then add in the chicken meat. Do a few quick stirs before adding in the roasted peanuts. Add the sauce and stir continuously until the chicken meat is nicely coated with the sauce. Add in the scallions, stir to combine well with the chicken, dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.

TAKEOUT-STYLE KUNG PAO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine flour, crushed pepper and 1/4 cup dressing in medium bowl. Add chicken; stir to evenly coat with dressing mixture.
• Add to large nonstick skillet or wok; stir-fry on medium-high heat 5 to 6 min. or until chicken is done. Spoon chicken onto plate; set aside.
• Add bell peppers and celery to skillet; stir-fry 3 to 4 min. or until crisp-tender. Spoon cooked vegetables to one side of skillet. Add nuts, onions, ginger and garlic to other side of skillet; stir-fry 1 to 2 min. or until onions are crisp-tender.
• Return chicken to skillet. Add remaining dressing; stir to combine all ingredients. Stir-fry 2 to 3 min. or until heated through.

CHINESE TAKE-OUT KUNG PAO CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the marinade; place the chicken cubes into a glass bowl.
• In a bowl whisk together 1 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons, then add in wine, soy sauce and sesame oil; pour over the chicken cubes and toss to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate for 35 minutes.
• For the sauce (I suggest to double all ingredients for 1 pound of chicken) in a small heavy saucepan combine 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon white wine, 1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 3 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water, hot chile paste, vinegar and 3 teaspoons brown sugar; mix until well blended.
• *NOTE* if you are doubling the sauce then still only use one can drained water chestnuts, 5 green onions only and increase the garlic only a small amount or keep to the same amount.
• To the sauce add in green onions, minced garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts; heat the sauce over very low heat stirring until thickened (about 5-8 minutes).
• Meanwhile remove the chicken from the marinade then saute in a large skillet or wok until the chicken is cooked through.
• Add the cooked sauce to the chicken and simmer stirring with a wooden spoon until thickened (if the sauce is too thick then add in a small amount of water to thin).
• Serve over cooked rice and garnish with a small amount of finely chopped green onion or chopped peanuts.

CHINESE TAKE-OUT KUNG PAO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the egg white, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon rice wine in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons rice wine with the rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin, and sesame oil and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wok over high heat until it's hot and barely smoking. Add the peanuts and toss them for about 2 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Remove the peanuts from the oil and transfer them to a heatproof plate. Set aside.
• Add the chicken to the oil and toss, cooking until it is slightly browned on the outside, but not cooked all the way through, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the wok and add it to the peanuts. (There will be some brown bits on the bottom of the wok. They will help thicken the sauce when it is added to the pan later. Be careful and don't let them burn, or your sauce will taste sharp.).
• Add the chiles to the wok and cook them until they turn almost black, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, green onions, and ginger along with the peanuts, chicken, and sauce. Toss to incorporate the sauce and heat through. Serve with rice.
• Variation: Sometimes we like to add vegetables to this dish to make it a one-dish meal. Try adding sliced water chestnuts and green or red bell peppers, brocolli, or bok choy along with the other vegetables in the dish. By swapping out the peanuts for cashews, the dish becomes cashew chicken. You can also vary the dish by using thinly sliced pork or beef, or whole shrimp.