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Welcome to Riches to Rags by Dori. This is a place where I share a little bit of everything. My experiences, the good the bad and the ugly. Life isn't easy but worth living and my hope is that we can get through it together.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Homemade Kung Pao Chicken

Adapted from blog chef



Homemade Kung Pao Chicken

We have a family of five so going out the eat at a Chinese restaurant (or any restaurant) costs us a fortune! We just don't do it very often. I LOVE LOVE Chinese food and decided that I would start to learn how to cook my own. I have already posted a few recipes but haven't done this one yet. I am not claiming this to be 100% authentic but it is GOOD! 

This is a very delicious Chinese food recipe. The flavor is really good and it is really simple to make. I used less crushed red peppers than the recipe called for so my kids would eat it. Make it as spicy or mild as you like. I doubled the recipe and not one piece of chicken was left and only a few grains of rice. Even my pickiest eater went back for seconds.  I could have deep fried it to get that pretty crusty brown look on the outside but chose not to. I used the sticky white rice to serve with it. 
Ingredients:
2lb boneless-skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” pieces)
2 tablespoon cornstarch (add more if needed)
2 tablespoons sesame oil (add more if needed)
3-4 tablespoons green onions (chopped)
2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more for spicier)
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 teaspoons sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Cut up your chicken breasts (I sprinkled a little bit of garlic salt in mine and mixed it in). Combine chicken and cornstarch in a small bowl and toss to coat. Add more cornstarch if needed. Heat sesame oil in wok or skillet over medium heat, add chicken and stir fry until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken but leave the oil in the pan.
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Step 2: Add green onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and powdered ginger to the wok and stir fry for less than a minute.

Step 3: Combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and add the sauce to the wok.

Step 4: Return chicken to the wok and coat with sauce. Heat thoroughly. Top with additional green onions (I did) if desired and serve over white rice.














If you love Chinese food such and Kung Pao or General Tso's, you will love this. We really did and I might have to triple the recipe next time. Would love to hear your thoughts on this if you make it.  Make it you own and add veggies or peanuts for additional flavor.

Thanks for stopping by!
Dori

6 comments :

  1. Will definitely be trying this one. I appreciated your step by step pictures too- I'm a visual person so it helps!!!

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  2. This looks so good, and so easy! Can't wait to make it!

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  3. Hi Dori! i have a quick question for you, why do you need to use the cornstarch?

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  4. It is what gives it the outside coating. I would love to hear if you make it!

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  5. I was wondering if I could use another oil instead of sesame . I'm allergic .

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  6. I am a Chinese and cook oriental Chinese food often. I would suggest to use corn oil, canola oil or peanut oil for cooking, we usually use sesame oil to marinate. Also, if you don't have corn starch, you can use flour instead.

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