Kung Pao Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 1 lb Chicken Thighs, diced + 1 tbsp soy + 1 tbsp cornstarch (the velvet marinade)
• 1 Bell Pepper, diced
• ½ cup roasted peanuts
• 6 dried red chilies + 1 tsp peppercorns (Sichuan if possible)
• Sauce: 2 tbsp soy + 1 tbsp vinegar + 1 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water
• 4 cloves garlic + 1 tbsp ginger + 3 scallions, whites and greens
• 2 tbsp oil

Method

1. Velvet the Chicken Thighs in the soy-cornstarch 10 minutes — the coating keeps it silky through high heat.
2. Stir the sauce; line up everything. Kung pao is 6 minutes of cooking and zero minutes of searching for the vinegar.
3. Sizzle the dried chilies and peppercorns in the oil 30 seconds until fragrant and darkened (not black).
4. Add the Chicken Thighs; sear 3 minutes. Then garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and Bell Pepper for 2 more (165°F for chicken).
5. Sauce down the pan's side, toss until glossy, then the peanuts and scallion greens last — they must CRUNCH. Sweet, sour, warm, numbing, crunchy: five sensations, one wok, no delivery fee.