Adapted from Lee Hwa Lin's Szechwan Style Chinese Cuisine cookbook. The original recipe calls for a technique whereby the chicken is cooked in low-heat oil (4 cups of oil). I changed this to a stir-fry to make it healthier.
Also, I significantly cut back on the amount of red chili peppers. To make this a one dish meal, I added red bell peppers, snow peas and mushrooms. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. All you need is some steamed brown rice to complete this meal.
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Chinese
Prep Time15minutes
Cook Time10minutes
Total Time25minutes
Servings5
Calories311kcal
Ingredients
1 1/4poundsboneless chicken breast or thighscut into 1/2" cubes
Chicken Marinade
2tablespoonsgluten-free soy sauce
1tablespoonrice wine
1tablespoonwater
4teaspoonscornstarch
Stir Fry Ingredients
3teaspoonsolive oil
1red bell peppercut into thin strips
1cupsnow peasends trimmed
1/2cupfresh shitake mushroomstrimmed, halved
3-4dried Asian chili peppers
1teaspoonSzechwan peppercorns
2scallionscut into 1" lengths
2teaspoonsminced ginger
2teaspoonsminced garlic
Stir-Fry Sauce
2tablespoonswater
1tablespoonorganic sugar
2tablespoonsrice vinegar
1tablespoonrice wine
1tablespoongluten-free soy sauce
1tablespoonsesame oil
1teaspooncornstarch
1/2cupwalnutstoasted in a pan
Instructions
Mix Chicken Marinade together in a medium bowl. Add cubed chicken pieces and toss well. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, lay out Stir-Fry Ingredients on a cutting board, and mix together Stir-Fry Sauce in a small bowl.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok. Add red bell pepper strips and snow peas and stir-fry one minute. Add shitake mushrooms and stir-fry another minute. Remove from wok and set aside.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in wok. Add dried chili peppers and Szechwan peppercorns and stir-fry until fragrant. Toss in scallions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry another 30 seconds until fragrant. Add marinated chicken and stir-fry until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add Stir-Fry Sauce and cooked vegetables and toss until sauce is thickened
Top with toasted walnuts before serving.
Recipe Notes
To make cutting the chicken easier, partially freeze. Then cut chicken into 1/2" strips lengthwise, then crosswise.
Nutrition Facts
Stir-Fry Spicy Kung Pao Chicken with Walnuts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 311Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 740mg32%
Potassium 665mg19%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 28g56%
Vitamin A 1040IU21%
Vitamin C 44.8mg54%
Calcium 31mg3%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.