Hunan Kung Pao
Description
Chicken and shrimp are cooked with spicy dried chile peppers and Sichuan peppercorns in this Hunan kung pao recipe — a Chinese restaurant favorite!
Ingredients
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4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
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20 peeled and deveined large shrimp (21 to 30 per pound)
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4 teaspoons soy sauce
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4 teaspoons rice wine
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2 teaspoons sesame oil
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1 tablespoon cornstarch
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1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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16 dried red chile peppers, cut in half
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2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
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1 red bell pepper, sliced
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1 green bell pepper, sliced
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1/4 cup dark soy sauce
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2 tablespoons rice wine
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2 teaspoons white sugar
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1 cup salted peanuts
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4 green onions, cut into 3 inch lengths
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2 dashes sesame oil, or to taste
Directions
1
Combine chicken and shrimp in a mixing bowl along with 4 teaspoons soy sauce, 4 teaspoons rice wine, and 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Sprinkle with cornstarch, and mix until evenly combined. Set aside to marinate for 25 minutes.
2
Heat 1/2 of the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Stir in chicken mixture and cook until chicken has turned white on the outside and is still a bit pink in the center, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken mixture and wipe the wok clean.
3
Heat remaining vegetable oil over high heat. Stir in garlic; cook for a few seconds until garlic begins to turn brown. Stir in dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns; cook and stir for a few seconds until peppers begin to darken.
4
Add red and green bell peppers, dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice wine, and sugar. Bring to a boil and stir in chicken mixture. Cook until peppers are nearly tender and chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes more. Stir in peanuts and green onion until green onion becomes limp. Stir in a few drops of sesame oil to serve.