Kung Pao Chicken

This is another one of my favorite recipes.  It's easy to make and super yummy. This recipe was taken from Food & Wine Magazine's Quick from Scratch Chicken Cookbook.  Instead of peanuts you can always use cashews. I don't stir-fry them like the recipe calls for as I just add them chopped up on top.

1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar or rice vinegar
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup peanuts
4 scallions, white bulbs and green tops cut separately into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes 


1. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the sherry, and the 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, water, and the remaining 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sherry, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
3. In a wok or large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderately high heat.  Add the peanuts and stir-fry until light brown, about 30 seconds.  Remove from the pan.  Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.  Add the white part of the scallions and the red-pepper flakes to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.  Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring, until almost done, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the soy-sauce mixture and the scallion tops and simmer until the chicken is just done, about 1 minute longer.  Stir in the peanuts.