Kung Pao Chicken

I love Chinese food!  I would eat it every day of my life if I didn’t actually hear my arteries slam shut or my pancreas groan in defeat as I stared at the deep fried whatnot and sticky white rice.  So I make it myself.  I actually make just about everything myself because God forbid should I purchase pre-made anything.  It’s some kind of disease. I have something in me that says either A) I can make it better, or B) it isn’t healthy. Which is often true, but sometimes I’d just like to buy something that tastes like real food but is also healthy.  (Like actual healthy, not the government or doctor approved version of “healthy” that doesn’t even remotely resemble actual nutrition.)  Good luck with that – I’m hard to impress.  But I digress.  Back to the recipe.

Because there is a bit of slicing, chopping & sautéing in batches (if you don’t have a large pan, for instance), this recipe is slightly time-consuming and therefore I usually double and even quadruple it, freezing the leftovers in batches.  When it’s homemade with quality ingredients like pastured chicken and eggs, organic veggies, bone stock and the like, it’s actually very nutritious.  

Just a few notes…

For this recipe, you’ll want to assemble all your parts and have them ready to go because once you start cooking it goes quickly.  As outlined in the recipe, you’ll have three separate ensembles – the chicken mixture, the sauce and the chopped vegetables.  If you try to start chopping everything after you’ve sauteed the chicken it won’t go well, then you’ll send me emails laced with annoyance and I’ll have to tell you “I told you so.” Don’t do that.

Feel free to add or remove whatever vegetables you’d like.  I personally like the addition of celery and water chestnuts.  (Does anyone have ANY idea what the heck water chestnuts are, by the way???)  I frequently just look in the crisper drawer and see what else I’d like to add, so knock yourself out.  If you like extra garlic, add a clove or 10.  Really, this is pretty versatile.

To substitute…

There are some substitutions you can make if you don’t have everything listed.  For instance, this is really the healthy version so I always use pastured animal products, but regular chicken is fine.  I mean eventually you’re probably going to be sorry about consuming all those antibiotics and the fallout from the poor chicken’s diet and living conditions, but for the purposes of this recipe, it’s not a big deal.  You can use cornstarch instead of arrowroot as the thickener, but arrowroot is a healthier option.  You can use peanuts instead of cashews, or really most any nut, this is just my preference.  Feel free to skip them altogether.  Apple cider vinegar, like Bragg’s, is fine if you don’t have or don’t want to use vermouth.  

And not to substitute…

My only real sticking point is the Tamari.  Do not substitute this.  I know the natural health realm worships at the feet of coconut aminos but it tastes absolutely nothing like soy sauce.  I can’t stand the stuff and it is far too sweet for me with none of the salty bite.  It will completely alter the flavor profile of this recipe.  And Bragg’s Liquid Aminos is a soy product but it is not fermented so I don’t recommend this.  Unless you’re allergic to soy, San-J organic, non-GMO, low sodium tamari is seriously fine if you’re on a health protocol.  The soy is still fermented so it’s a completely acceptable option.  

The chili paste is not organic, sue me.  I’ve tried other kinds and it’s just not the same.  Honestly, I figure I’ve gone the distance with removing pesticides and toxins from our lives so I don’t worry about something like this here and there.  Just do your best, you can’t control everything.   

I usually serve this over properly prepared quinoa (rinsed, soaked overnight to remove phytic acid) because rice and I have a dubious relationship, and I just do better with a higher protein diet (quinoa is a complete protein), but you can use rice if you prefer.

Dig in!

Print Recipe

Kung Pao Chicken

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Chinese

Prep Time

30-45 minutes, depending on how large your batch is

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

Chicken Concoction...

• 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2” cubes, or short thin slices
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder

Sauce...

• 2 tsp vermouth see notes about substitutions
• 1 tsp arrowroot
• 1 Tbsp chili paste see photo in notes
• 2 Tbsp Tamari no substitutions, see notes
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/3 c chicken stock

Vegetables...

• 4-5 Bell peppers red, orange or yellow
• 2 zuccini
• 1 bunch scallions Cleaned and sliced on the bias (diagonally)

Have ready to use...

• 2/3 c raw cashews
• 1/4 c virgin coconut or sesame oil may need less, see notes - I LOVE Chosen Foods' sesame oil for this

Course Main Dish Cuisine Chinese Prep Time 30-45 minutes, depending on how large your batch is Cook Time 15 minutes Servings Ingredients Chicken Concoction... 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2” cubes, or short thin slices 1 egg white 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder Sauce... 2 tsp vermouth see notes about substitutions 1 tsp arrowroot 1 Tbsp chili paste see photo in notes 2 Tbsp Tamari no substitutions, see notes 4 garlic cloves minced 1/3 c chicken stock Vegetables... 4-5 Bell peppers red, orange or yellow 2 zuccini 1 bunch scallions Cleaned and sliced on the bias (diagonally) Have ready to use... 2/3 c raw cashews 1/4 c virgin coconut or sesame oil may need less, see notes - I LOVE Chosen Foods' sesame oil for this

Instructions

Chicken Concoction...

1. Place cubed chicken in a bowl, sprinkle arrowroot over chicken & stir to coat. Add the egg white. This will look nasty—not to worry, it gets better. Set aside.

Sauce...

1. Mix together the vermouth and arrowroot until smooth. Add all other sauce ingredients and set aside.

Vegetables

1. Clean vegetables, seed peppers and roughly chop all. Set aside and reserve 1/4 cup for garnish.

Recipe Notes

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat.  Add the nuts and sauté to a golden brown, watching closely, as nuts burn easily once they begin to brown.  Remove them with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel.  Add the chicken to the hot pan with the remaining oil.  At first it will all stick together, just keep stirring.  Remove after it turns white or golden & separates, about 3-4 minutes.  Little bits of golden chicken heaven will be stuck to your pan – let them be.  If you are cooking a larger batch or have a small pan, cook the chicken in batches or it will steam instead of begin to brown.

Add a little oil to the pan if it is dry and add the peppers to sauté for a minute or until they soften very slightly then add the scallions.  Sauté for just another 30 seconds. Do NOT overcook the vegetables or they’ll go mushy instead of remaining firm and bright.  Turn the heat to high, add the chicken, stir and then add the sauce.  Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula to gather the goodness that’s stuck there. Cook until everything is hot and the sauce begins to thicken.  Add nuts just before serving.  Serve alone or over rice or quinoa, and garnish with the remaining scallions.

 

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