Kung Pao Popeye (Kung Pao Chicken Made with Popeye's Nuggets) Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated August 30, 2018
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Note: For best results, use Popeye's chicken nuggets or popcorn shrimp. Other brands will work if necessary.

Recipe Details

Kung Pao Popeye (Kung Pao Chicken Made with Popeye's Nuggets) Recipe

Active 10 mins
Total 10 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry, in unavailable)
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon Sichuan fermented chili-bean paste
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 long hot green pepper, sliced thinly on the bias
  • 2 small leeks, white and light green parts only sliced into 1/4-inch segments
  • 1 large stalk of celery, sliced on the bias into 1/4-inch slices
  • 2 cloves minced garlic (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 12 hot Chinese whole dry chili peppers
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
  • 18 to 24 Popeye's Chicken Nuggets or 3 orders Popeye's Popcorn Shrimp
  • 2 tablespoons toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns

Directions

  1. Combine stock, soy sauce, wine, vinegar, chili-bean paste, sugar, and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk with a fork until combined and homogeneous.

  2. Heat oil in a large wok over high heat until smoking. Add peppers, leeks, and celery and stir fry, letting them sit long enough to get slightly charred on once side before tossing and flipping. Cook until tender but still bright green, about 1 1/2 minutes tota. Add garlic, ginger, chilis, and peanuts. Stir fry, tossing regularly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

  3. Add chicken or shrimp and reserved sauce and stir fry until sauce is thick and glossy and all the food is nicely coated. Add half of Sichuan peppercorns and toss to combine. Transfer to a hot plate, sprinkle with remaining Sichuan peppercorn, and serve immediately.

Special equipment

wok

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