Gongpao Chicken
12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 egg white
5 tbsp soy sauce, divided
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp black (Chinese) vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup vegetable oil + 2 tbsp
½ cup peanuts and/or cashews
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
3 dried or fresh red Thai peppers, chopped
1” knob ginger, minced or grated
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cups fresh basil leaves (1.5 ounces)
Dash salt
Cut chicken into 1” cubes and place into a bowl. Add egg white, 2 tbsp soy sauce and cornstarch. Gently mix with your hands for 2 minutes.
Mix remaining soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat 1 cup vegetable oil and peanuts/cashews in a heavy skillet and turn on the heat to medium-high. Cook nuts to golden brown and remove from oil.
Add chicken to the same oil and cook until there is no more pink, 6-8 minutes. Remove from the pan.
Add green pepper and saute until slightly tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan.
Add 2 tbsp oil and turn the heat up to high. When the pan is heated, add garlic, red peppers and ginger. Cook until aromatic, 1-2 minutes.
Return nuts, chicken and green peppers back into the pan. Add sauce and green onion. Cook, stirring constantly, until all ingredients are hot. Add basil and cook just until wilted.
Serve with rice, if desired.
6 servings, 535 calories per serving
Hack: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen in serving size portions for up to 3 months.
Hack: Do you know that you can freeze fresh ginger root? Grating it in its frozen state is easier than grating it fresh and, if you choose organic ginger, you don’t have to peel it! Simply place it in a sealed freezer bag or container and pop it in the freezer.
Hack: Chop leftover green onions and freeze in a sealable freezer bag or container for future use. While they won’t retain the crispness that would make them suitable for salads or garnish, they will be fine for cooking.
Hack: For more instructional videos for making traditional Chinese cuisine, visit Yuhong’s Country Kitchen on YouTube!
