Happy Chinese New Year!

This is the Year of the Dragon, my Chinese daughter's birth sign.  So to celebrate I will, of course, have a splendid plate of Kung Pao Chicken (or Gung Bao Chicken)this weekend! And so can you, with this great, easy recipe of the most wonderful entree on Earth*

*Szechuan peppercorns may be somewhat difficult to find, but readily available at many Asian stores.

Gung Bao Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

• 1/3 cup unsalted peanuts
• 1 pound (or a little more) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or unroasted peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
• 2 dried red chilies, roughly chopped or crushed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1-inch knob ginger root, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 4 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped

Directions

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1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peanuts and gently toast the peanuts, shaking the pan occasionally, until they’re a beautiful golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the peanuts to a plate to cool.
2. Meanwhile, place the chicken, cornstarch, and half the soy sauce in a large bowl and gently toss until all of the chicken is well coated. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Heat a wok over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, remove the wok from the heat and throw in the Szechuan peppercorns and dried red chilies. Stir continuously 20 to 30 seconds, until the chilies start to turn light brown in color.
4. Place the wok over medium-high heat then add the chicken. Fry 2 to 3 minutes, until it just starts to turn golden. Then add the garlic, ginger, scallions, and peanuts. Stir-fry constantly until the chicken is cooked through and tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the remaining soy sauce over the chicken, toss well, and serve immediately.

Get more deliciousness at Gung Bao Chicken Recipe | Leite's Culinaria