Kung Pao Chicken

Even the name is fun!

I bought a Kung Pao Pepper plant last spring and it continued to live after I brought it home, and it even made little peppers.  So I had to figure out what to do with them.  Googleing Kung Pao Pepper gave me a bunch of sites about seeds and plants and recipes for Kung Pao Chicken or Kung Pao Beef using dried peppers.  So I used some of those recipes to give me ideas and I think what I came up with turned out pretty well.

Ingredients:
1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken, thinly sliced*
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil**
3 Tbsp White Wine

2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
3 Fresh Kung Pao Peppers, split in half***
4 Cloves Garlic, minced or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, minced or 2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced (I used green too cause that's what I had on hand)

2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Sugar
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Cornstarch

* I love chicken thighs but you can use breasts or another kind of meat entirely.

** Other types of vegetable oil work too (canola) but sesame oil just gives it an extra special flavor.

*** This time around, I waited to long to use my peppers and some of them had gone bad so I used 3 small peppers plus a jalapeño pepper for a little extra heat.  You could really use whatever fresh or dried peppers you can get your hands on and adjust until you get the right amount of heat.

Directions:
1. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, and white wine in a bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or so.
2. Place vegetable oil in a wok and turn heat on to high. Add the Kung Paos and cook until they begin to darken - this happens quickly. Add garlic, ginger and crushed black pepper, and cook for about a minute. Add the green onions and red bell pepper.
3. Add the chicken and marinade to the wok. Stir-fry until the meat is no longer visibly pink. Add rice wine vinegar and sugar. Stir the cornstarch into the chicken broth and add it to the wok. Stir until slightly thickened. 4. Serve over rice.

Hint: This stuff is yummier and the sauce will be thicker if you refrigerate and reheat to serve the next day.

Nutrition Information:
Number of Servings: 4
Serving Size: 3/4 cup
MyPyramid contribution per serving:
1/4 cup Vegetables (1/2 cup other veggies)
4 ounces Meat and Beans
2 teaspoons Oils
30 Discresionary Calories