Flavor packed Kung Pao Chicken made with a simple yet delicious sauce and stir fried veggies. This classic Chinese-American dish is the perfect way to make take out healthier at home.
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with marinade ingredients; set aside.
In a saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients (start with 1 tablespoon of chipotle peppers), except the cornstarch, and mix well over med-low heat.
Bring to a low simmer and allow flavors to meld, 8-10 minutes. Taste and adjust any of the ingredients (add more of the chipotle peppers), as desired.
Dissolve cornstarch in a bit of water or chicken broth and add to the sauce. Cook over med heat until sauce bubbles and thickens, then remove from heat.
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok; add the white part of the onions to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring, until almost done, 2-3 minutes.
Add the sauce and stir to allow the sauce to coat the chicken. Stir in the peanuts and chopped scallions. Serve over stir-fry vegetables (directions below).
For the Stir-Fry:
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok, add ginger and cook until fragrant. Add prepared vegetables, and cook until crisp-tender. Salt and pepper to taste and reserve in warm oven until ready to serve.
INSTRUCTIONS / STEPS TO MAKE-AHEAD:
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with marinade; set aside. In a saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients (excluding the cornstarch) and mix well over med-low heat to meld flavors. Adjust to taste and set aside to cool.
Heat oil and add the white part of the green onions to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened.
Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring, until almost done, 2-3 minutes. In order to keep the chicken tender, not tough, be sure to not over cook it in this step. Add the sauce and set aside to cool.
Once cooled completely, pour into a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, and freeze flat. If frozen flat, it takes less time to defrost. Reserve the peanuts and scallions for you are ready to serve the meal.
Note: The cornstarch is omitted from the sauce when originally prepared because it will lose its thickening properties in the freezer. Instead, it is added during the finishing steps.
Make the stir-fry vegetables fresh when you defrost the chicken and sauce.
STEPS TO FINISH THE MEAL:
Defrost chicken and sauce mixture. Heat the chicken and sauce in a large skillet over medium heat. Dissolve 2 teaspoons cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water and add to the chicken and sauce;
continue to cook until warmed through and sauce thickens 3-4 minutes. Stir in the peanuts and scallion tops. Serve over fresh stir-fry vegetables (directions above).