Chinese Spicy Kung Pao-Style Chicken with Chicken Thighs, Bell Pepper, Peanuts & Jasmine Rice

Step 1

• In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cupswater (2¼ cups for 4 servings), anda pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, thencover and reduce to a low simmer.Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.• Keep covered off heat until ready toserve.

Step 2

• While rice cooks, wash and dryproduce.• Core, deseed, and dice bell pepperinto ½-inch pieces. Trim and thinlyslice scallions, separating whitesfrom greens.• In a small bowl, whisk together sweetsoy glaze, half the vinegar, half theSzechuan paste, ¾ cup water, and1 tsp sugar. (For 4 servings, use allthe vinegar, all the Szechuan paste,1½ cups water, and 2 tsp sugar.)

Step 3

• Heat a large dry pan over mediumhigh heat. Add peanuts and toast,stirring often, until golden brown andfragrant, 2-4 minutes. Transfer to asecond small bowl; set aside.• Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan overmedium-high heat. Add bell pepperand scallion whites; season withsalt and pepper. Cook, stirring, untilbrowned and tender, 4-5 minutes.Transfer to a third small bowl; set aside.

Step 4

• Open package of chicken* and drainoff any excess liquid.• Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used forveggies over medium-high heat.Add chicken and garlic powder;season with salt and pepper. Cook,stirring occasionally, until browned,3-4 minutes (chicken will finishcooking in the next step).

Step 5

• Return veggies to pan with chicken;stir in Szechuan sauce mixture andcook, stirring, until sauce beginsto simmer and chicken is cookedthrough, 1-2 minutes.• In bowl used for sauce, mixcornstarch with 1 TBSP water (2 TBSPfor 4 servings) until dissolved. Stircornstarch mixture into chickenmixture until combined, then simmeruntil sauce has thickened slightly,30-60 seconds.• Remove pan from heat. Stir in chiliflakes to taste (we used ⅛ tsp). TIP: Ifsauce seems too thick, stir in a splashof water.

Step 6

• Fluff rice with a fork; season with saltto taste.• Divide rice and chicken betweenbowls in separate sections. Garnishchicken with peanuts and scalliongreens. Sprinkle with any remainingchili flakes to taste and serve.Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.