Baked kung pao chicken nibbles
SERVES 4-6 AS A SNACK / PREPARATION 15 MINUTES PLUS 2 HOURS MARINATING / COOKING 40 MINUTES
Kung pao chicken with mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns and plenty of chilli is one of my favourite things. I’m also partial to chicken wings and felt that they were made to go together especially with a messy, sticky and spicy sauce. You’ll just need to provide plenty of serviettes or finger bowls. If the numbing qualities of Sichuan peppercorns aren’t really your thing you could omit them from the sauce.
FOR THE CHICKEN MARINADE
1kg chicken wings
½ teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns 2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons rice flour
If the wings aren’t pre-cut into drumettes, winglet and tips, do so (keep the tips for stock or discard). Thoroughly pat dry the remaining chicken with paper towels and put into a bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Put the chicken on an oven tray lined with baking paper, allowing a little bit of space between each piece. Bake for approximately 18 minutes until golden, then turn each piece, return to the oven and cook for another 15-18 minutes. Put into a serving dish and pour over the sauce. Serve immediately.
FOR THE KUNG PAO SAUCE
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3cm piece ginger, cut into slivers
3 spring onions, cut into 4cm pieces, with a little chopped for garnishing 2 cloves garlic, sliced
5 large, dried red chillies, cut into pieces and most seeds removed 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
¾ cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns (optional) 1 tablespoon chilli bean paste
2 teaspoons cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the ginger and most of the spring onion, reserving the garnish. Cook until fragrant then add the garlic and dried chillies. Toast for a few seconds then add the Shaoxing wine, chicken stock, sugar, soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns (if using) and chilli bean paste and bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes then add the cornflour slurry and allow to thicken. Add the peanuts and pour over the chicken topping with the remaining spring onions.