hello hi everyone! This recipe is adding to our series on Chinese American Food Hacks, reproducing the Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken. I had some fun dialing in Panda's signature Kung Pao flavors with a bit more tendency toward sweetness and sauce-heavy flavors, then tweaking them a bit with some of my favorite ingredients for my own version as well. Hope you try it!
serves 2-3
INGREDIENTS
1 chicken breast
1 red bell pepper
2 green onions
12 dried peppers (tianjin peppers, or similar)
1 zucchini
1/4 cup raw peanuts
4 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger (about 1 tbsp)
red pepper flake
vegetable oil
INGREDIENTS (marinade)
4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or 2 tbsp full sodium soy sauce)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp brown sugar
kosher salt
INGREDIENTS (sauce)
2 tbsp shaoxing wine
4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or 2 tbsp full sodium soy sauce)
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp corn starch
water
PREP
CRUSH and mince garlic, set aside
FINE MINCE ginger, set aside
LARGE DICE red bell pepper, set aside
SLICE green onions into 1 inch pieces, set aside
LARGE DICE zucchini, set aside
LARGE DICE chicken breast into 1 inch pieces, set aside
COMBINE all sauce ingredients, set aside
COMBINE corn starch with equal parts water until dissolved, set aside
COMBINE chicken with marinade, and set aside
ON THE STOVE
HEAT a wok as hot as possible, then add 4 tbsp vegetable oil, and long yao.
ADD garlic and ginger and bloom until fragrant, about 10-15 seconds
ADD chicken to the wok and toss for 1-2 minutes until 80% cooked, then remove from the wok
WIPE the wok down, add 4 tbsp vegetable oil to the wok and long yao
ADD dried peppers to the wok and toss for 30 seconds, then add bell peppers, green onion, peanuts, and zucchini. Toss for 2 minutes
ADD chicken back to the wok, then add sauce and corn starch slurry. Toss for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat
FINISH with red chili flake