How to Make Kung Pow Chicken (Gong Bao Ji Ding)

This recipe is excerpted from my second book, The Food Lab Vol. II, which will be out in early 2019. This particular recipe is very much influenced by the version I ate at Chenmapo Doufu in Chengdu, and by the version in Fuschian Dunlop's classic Every Grain of Rice (https://www.amazon.com/Every-Grain-Ri..., though with a few tweaks and twists of my own.

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Here's the complete recipe:

GONGBAO JI DING (Kung Pow Chicken)

Note: You can use dry sherry in place of the Xioshing wine. You can use Chinese black vinegar or even balsamic vinegar in place of the Chinkiang vinegar if you can’t find it. You might find bottles of low sodium soy sauce labeled “light.” That is not what you’re looking for in this recipe. Light soy sauce is typically thinner and saltier than the dark soy sauce used in some Chinese recipes. You can use Japanese shoyu or tamari in its place if you can’t find Chinese light soy sauce.

This recipe serves 2 as a main course. Trying to double the recipe will lead to poor end results as you won’t be able to maintain enough heat to sear the chicken. If you want to double the recipe, cook the chicken and vegetables in two separate batches, following the recipe through the end of Step 5 and transferring the cooked chicken and vegetables to a large bowl on the side. When you’re ready to finish, add all of the cooked chicken and vegetables (both batches) back to the wok over high heat, stir in the double batch of sauce, and toss until coated.

You can also cook this recipe in a large Western-style skillet, though the flavor will not be quite the same.

For the Chicken:
2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon Xiaoshing wine (see note above)
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
large pinch kosher salt

For the Sauce:
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar (see note above)
1 tablespoon Xiaoshing wine
2 teaspoons light soy sauce (see note above)
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Water, as needed

For the Stir-Fry
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 to 12 small dried red chiles (such as árbol), stems removed, cut into ½-inch pieces with scissors, seeds discarded
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, reddish husks only (stems and black seeds discarded)
4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1-inch knob ginger, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks or grated
6 scallions, white and pale green parts only, cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ cup roasted peanuts (about 5 ounces; 150g)

1. For the chicken: Combine chicken, wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl and turn until chicken is evenly coated in a thin film of cornstarch/marinade paste. Set aside.

2. For the Sauce: Combine honey, vinegar, wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir together with a fork until no clumps of cornstarch remain

3. To Stir-Fry: Pour a small amount of oil into the bottom of a large wok or skillet and rub around with a paper towel. Place over high heat and preheat until smoking. Add remaining oil and immediately add chiles and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry until fragrant but not burnt, about 5 seconds. Immediately add chicken and stir-fry until there are no longer pink spots on the exterior (chicken will still be raw in center at this stage), 45 seconds to 1 ½ minutes.

4. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add scallions and peanuts and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

5. Add sauce ingredients and stir-fry until all the ingredients are coated evenly and the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute, adding water a tablespoon at a time if necessary to keep the sauce from clumping. Serve immediately with steamed white rice.