Gong Bao Chicken (宮保雞丁)

Combine the chicken, cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce in a small bowl. Mix well and allow it to marinate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add peanuts and toast for several minutes, until golden and fragrant. Remove peanuts from the skillet and set aside.

Heat oil in the skillet on medium high heat. Add peppercorns and dried chilies and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the chilies turn brown.

Turn heat up to high and add chicken mixture. Cook until chicken is cooked on both sides, about 5-10 minutes.

Add garlic, ginger, scallions and peanuts and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through, about 5-10 more minutes. Remove from heat and pour remaining soy sauce over the chicken.

Notes:
– This recipe is gluten-free if you use gluten-free soy sauce.
– Dried chilies look like shrivelled-up versions of whole red chilies.

Adapted from Serious Eats.