I ate the same seven meals on rotation growing up. It was a system my mom kept for a long while, making weeknight dinners during the busy school year easier for her after volunteering, PTA and booster meetings, church committees … you get it.
I still remember those meals clearly—breaded chicken with boxed Alfredo and peas, meatballs and garlic bread, taco pie. After eating these meals week in and week out, I—as the ungrateful child I was—felt very sick of having to dig into the same foods over and over again.
But now, as a 30-something with a limited budget and even more limited time on my hands, I have come to seriously appreciate the value of having some tasty quick meals in my tool belt. The kind of meals that you can cook up in a pinch when you have no idea what else to make, and this Kung Pao Chicken with Bell Peppers recipe is my all-time fave.
I first discovered the recipe when I was craving Chinese takeout. Mind you, I am never one to say that my Italian-American self can cook Chinese food in the same way the experts in my favorite restaurants can. No, this was me trying to save some cash after a rather irresponsible season of spending, but wanting desperately to dig into a familiar meal that I know and love. So I did some searching on my go-to recipe websites, and this particular Kung Pao Chicken recipe popped up on my screen.
Not only did I have everything listed in the recipe ingredients (which we last-minute meal planners know is a huge win), but I noticed this recipe was also developed by none other than Grace Young—cookbook author, activist and food historian for Chinese cuisine and wok-style cooking. I had the privilege of interviewing Young a few years ago about her work supporting Chinese restaurants and businesses in Chinatowns across the country, when shutdowns and xenophobic backlash during the COVID-19 pandemic caused much economic and personal suffering.
I am still in complete awe of the way she passionately advocated for the rights and the support for such a vital part of American culture. I know her recipes are impeccable, so when I found her recipe for Kung Pao Chicken in the vast black hole of the internet, it felt like a gift from the weeknight-dinner gods. In a matter of minutes, I had my iPad propped up on my counter and started chopping away at bell peppers.
The main ingredients for this recipe are rather simple, and you may have many if not all of them in your fridge or pantry: chicken breast, bell peppers, fresh ginger, unsalted dry-roasted peanuts and rice. However, the magic of this recipe is in the sauce.
The sauce is whisked together at the beginning of the recipe. It all starts by tossing the chicken in reduced-sodium soy sauce, dry sherry, cornstarch and sesame oil. (Don’t have dry sherry? Dry vermouth works as a great substitute, or even dry sherry vinegar.) Then chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, chile-garlic sauce (I like to use Huy Fong), and some more soy sauce and sherry are whisked together in a small bowl for later. Honestly, that combination of sherry, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and chile-garlic sauce is what makes it for me. Would it be weird to say I would eat it with a spoon?
Anyways … once you have your chicken, sauce and bell peppers prepared, it’s time to get wokking. I use a carbon-steel wok to cook this meal, but Young points out that a 12-inch skillet also works.
You stir-fry ginger slices and chicken, then transfer them out of the wok to make room for the bell peppers. Once everything is cooked, the chicken is added back in with that mouthwatering sauce and stir-fried until ready to serve on a bed of rice with a sprinkle of peanuts.
Now how do I make this even easier for a weeknight meal? So glad you asked.
First, I am a big fan of microwave rice. You know, the kind you get in a bag and throw in the microwave for 90 seconds? On a busy weeknight I don’t have the time or energy to put together a whole pot of rice. Even if it’s just in the Instant Pot (I know, so easy!), I’m still too lazy to do it. So microwave rice it is.
Second, I’m also a big fan of buying pre-diced chicken and cut-up veggies, even if they’re slightly more expensive than buying whole chicken breasts or bell peppers. When it’s a late Wednesday night and I’m just ready to dig into dinner, getting a healthy dinner on the table fast is worth it to me.
Lastly, this meal works well with tofu too. If I don’t have any chicken defrosted (I tend to store meat in my freezer since I’m only cooking for two) but have a package of tofu in the fridge, I just cut that up instead.
All in all, in less than 30 minutes, I’ll have a tasty high-protein meal (Chicken! Peanuts! 25 grams of protein per serving!) ready to eat while I catch up on my favorite show. And honestly? That feels like such a gift after a long day of work. Thank you forever, Grace Young.
