Authentic Kung Pao Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients

• Black pepper (1/2 teaspoon, or to taste)
• Salt (1/2 teaspoon, or to taste)
• Cooking oil (3 tablespoons)
• Water (1/4 cup)
• Cornstarch (1 tablespoon)
• Green onions (3, sliced)
• Roasted peanuts (1/2 cup)
• Onion (1, chopped)
• Bell peppers (2, chopped)
• Dried red chili peppers (8, chopped)
• Ginger (1 inch piece, minced)
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced)
• Sesame oil (1 tablespoon)
• Hoisin sauce (2 tablespoons)
• Rice vinegar (2 tablespoons)
• Soy sauce (1/4 cup)
• Chicken breast (1 pound, cut into bite-sized pieces)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, and minced ginger. This forms your marinade.
2. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, ensuring all pieces are well-coated. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water to create a slurry. Set aside.
4. Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.
5. Add the marinated chicken to the hot skillet and stir fry until the chicken is cooked through. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
7. Using the same skillet, add the chopped dried red chili peppers and stir fry for 1 minute to release their heat.
8. Add the chopped bell peppers and onion to the skillet. Stir fry for another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly tender.
9. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and mix well with the vegetables.
10. Pour in the cornstarch slurry and stir fry for another 2 minutes. The sauce will thicken during this time.
11. Finally, add the roasted peanuts and sliced green onions to the skillet. Stir fry for an additional minute.
12. Season the stir fry with salt and black pepper to taste.
13. Serve your Authentic Kung Pao Chicken Stir Fry hot with a side of steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal. You can also garnish with extra green onions and peanuts if desired.