Kung Pao Chicken (宫保鸡丁)

Ingredients

• Drumstick (or chicken breast)
• Scallion
• Dried chili peppers (or Sichuan peppercorns)
• Roasted peanuts
• Light soy sauce
• Vinegar
• White sugar
• Cooking wine
• Salt
• Chicken bouillon powder
• Starch
• Vegetable oil
• Sesame oil
• ### Optional Ingredients
• Chili oil
• Lettuce
• Raw peanuts
• Broad bean paste (Pixian Doubanjiang)

Steps

1. ### Simple Version
2. Debone the drumstick with scissors, pound the chicken surface with the back of a knife, cut into strips and then into 1.5cm cubes. Soak in water for 10 minutes and drain (if using chicken breast, you can proceed directly to cutting).
3. Take 5g of scallion greens and ginger slices in a bowl, pour in 50g boiling water and set aside. Cut the white part of the scallion into 1.5cm rounds and set aside. Put peanuts in the microwave on high for 5 minutes to roast dry and set aside.
4. Mix chicken cubes with 2g salt, 5g dark soy sauce, 15g cooking wine, and 15g starch. Stir well until slightly dry. Slowly add some scallion-ginger water until the chicken feels sticky to the touch. Seal with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. Cut dried chili peppers into sections; heat the wok over high heat, then reduce to low heat. Add dried chili peppers and roast until slightly scorched, then remove. Roast Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant and remove.
6. Turn to high heat, pour in 20g vegetable oil. When hot to about 70% (bubbles form around chopsticks), add chicken cubes. Fry until the tops turn white, flip with a spatula, and fry for 30 seconds. Stir-fry evenly.
7. Add scallion rounds and stir-fry. Add the remaining scallion-ginger water (if less than 100g, add a little more clear water; strictly use hot water). Cover the wok, reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer for 2 minutes.
8. Turn to high heat, add roasted peanuts, dried chili peppers, and peppercorns. Add 2g chicken bouillon, 5g vinegar, and 2g sugar. Stir-fry evenly.
9. Mix 10g starch with 50g water to make a starchy water mixture (slurry). Add to the pot, stir-fry evenly, and simmer until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
10. Turn off the heat, pour in 10g sesame oil, and serve.
11. ### Slightly More Complex but Mouth-Watering Version
12. Compared to the simple version, this version recommends using Sichuan peppers and raw peanuts. It also adds lettuce to pair with the crunch of peanuts and the tenderness of the chicken.
13. Peel the lettuce and cut into 1cm cubes; set aside.
14. Cut the Sichuan peppers into 1cm sections.
15. Debone the drumstick with scissors, pound the chicken surface with the back of a knife, cut into strips and then into 1.5cm cubes. Soak in water for 10 minutes and drain (if using chicken breast, you can proceed directly to cutting).
16. Take 5g of scallion greens and ginger slices in a bowl, pour in 50g boiling water and set aside. Cut the white part of the scallion into 1.5cm rounds.
17. Mix chicken cubes with 2g salt, 5g dark soy sauce, 15g cooking wine, and 15g starch. Stir well until slightly dry. Slowly add some scallion-ginger water until the chicken feels sticky to the touch. Seal with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
18. Turn to medium heat, pour in 20g vegetable oil, add raw peanuts, and stir-fry until the surface is slightly scorched. Remove the peanuts but leave the oil in the wok.
19. Heat the oil further until it is hot to about 70% (bubbles form around chopsticks). Add the chicken cubes and 10g broad bean paste. Stir-fry for about 1 minute.
20. Add the prepared lettuce cubes and stir-fry for another minute.
21. Add scallion rounds and stir-fry. Add the remaining scallion-ginger water (if less than 100g, add a little more clear water; strictly use hot water) and the Sichuan pepper sections. Cover the wok, reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer for 2 minutes.
22. Turn to high heat, add the previously removed peanuts and peppercorns. Add 2g chicken bouillon, 5g vinegar, and 2g sugar. Stir-fry evenly.
23. Mix 10g starch with 50g water to make a starchy water mixture (slurry). Add to the pot, stir-fry evenly, and simmer until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
24. Turn off the heat, pour in 10g sesame oil and 5g chili oil, stir-fry for another 10 seconds, and serve.