Kung Pao Chicken

One of Robert's favorite Chinese-food meals is Kung Pao Chicken, but it's hard for us to eat out (or grab take out) from a Chinese restaurant. There is always hidden sugar in there, and the rice is really high carb, so we avoid it when we eat at home.  Luckily I had this recipe for "Spicy Peanut Chicken" which is really kung pao chicken, and we were able to modify it slightly for our needs.

From Betty Crocker's New Cookbook:

Kung Pao Chicken


1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp Splenda
4 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp cayenne, or to taste
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 can water chestnuts
1 small onion, chopped
(other veggies to taste - like broccoli, shredded carrots, etc.)
1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
2 green onions, sliced

1. Mix broth, cornstarch, Splenda, soy sauce, vinegar, and cayenne.

2. Heat wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add oil, rotate wok to coat side. Add chicken, garlic, and ground ginger. Stir-fry until chicken is no longer pink in the center. Remove cooked chicken to plate and keep warm.

3.  If needed, add more oil to skillet and heat.  Cook onion and bell pepper until tender. Add other veggies (if using) and cook until tender-crisp.  Add chicken back to the skillet.  Add cornstarch mixture to work. Cook and stir about 1 minute or until sauce thickens. Stir in peanuts. Garnish with onions.

Finish the meal with a small (like 1/3 cup) serving of couscous, bulgur, or millet.  We finished this with frozen egg rolls (12 grams of carb each) that were baked (not fried).  Tasty meal, and we had control over the amount of carbs, especially sugar, that is involved.