There are two things about me that you may or may not know.
I have never ever eaten Kung Pao chicken in my life.
I have never cooked ANY Asian food before.
Both scared me. Until today.
I made the Kung Pao chicken from Steamy Kitchens new cookbook, healthy asian favorites.
Let me be totally honest with you… my whole family loved it. Adored it!
I loved it not only for the flavor, but because it is a heart healthy meal.
I have talked about how my husband is learning to live life with AFib, and having this book arrive on my doorstep was such a blessing. Not only are the meals low sodium and full flavor (which equals great heart healthy meals!) , but they are totally understandable for a horrible cook like me! (I am not kidding, I am a terrible cook.)
As I sat and looked at my family, hardly stopping to breathe as they gobbled up their meal, I felt such an intense level of satisfaction. Through Jadens great instruction and guidance, I was able to cook something that was delicious and good for us. I dont know how she did it, but I feel completely indebted to her for that sweet moment of culinary (and familial!) joy.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized portions
- 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch dice
- 2 tbsp fat-free vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar or non-aged balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup chopped, unsalted roasted peanuts
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine checken with 1 teaspoon or soy sauce and cornstarch. Marinate for 10 minutes.
- Heat wok or large saute pan over high heat. When hot, swirl in the oil and add the chicken.
- Spread the chicken out over all the surface of the pan. Sear on both sides until lightly brown, but not cooked all the way through, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic and bell peppers. Stir until fragrant. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce, the stock, and the vinegar. Bring to a simmer and turn heat to medium-low. Cook for 2 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
- Top with chopped peanuts and serve.
- *I served mine over fried rice.
- *Jaden's original recipe calls for dried red chili's and no yellow pepper.
Recipe printed with permission.
We could not be more excited about this book! I am so delighted that Jaden has found a healthy way for us to enjoy fantastic Asian food!
Jadens’ book is officially available today, so I highly encourage you to check it out!
Never? Looks like your first attempt was successful — yum!
Well thanks.
thankfully healthy these days means tasty
with enough herbs and spices it’s so easy
glad you liked it
i have the same issue with my hubby, not the same medical but the same “trying to get him to eat better”
i’ve found if the plate is dressed up enough he’ll eat it.
With all your beautiful recipes I would think he would be a great eater!
Great job! Jaden’s first cookbook (The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook) is fantastic, too. Every recipe of hers I’ve made has turned out perfectly. Can’t wait to get her newest book! She is the best.
You a terrible cook? I don’t believe it! So glad to hear you took the plunge into Asian food — it’s so delish!
I don’t believe that you are a terrible cook! That dish looks so yummy!
This looks delicious! I’ve been looking for something besides pasta to make this week and this is it! Thanks for sharing. By the way, does it say how much red pepper flakes to add? My family likes a little “kick”.
She has 2-3 red dried chilies that she soaks in water for about 10 minutes… then chops. She says you can discard the seeds if you want less heat!
What a wonderful behind-the-scenes story to this recipe! Happy healthy eating!
I don’t cook Asian food either, even though we really love it. It has always seemed so intimidating for some reason. I can’t wait to get my copy of Jaden’s new cookbook so I can get confident in making these great Asian recipes at home.
It looks like it turned out perfectly! Can’t wait to try this one – I have Jaden’s first cookbook and love it
Ooooooo…that looks fabulously yummy. I just never understand how you could be a horrible cook. Looks like keeping Jaden’s book on the counter just might turn that around.
This looks absolutely delicious
Yummy…bookmarked this to add to my menu next month.