What you need to make this recipe
Chicken – I use boneless and skinless chicken breasts for this recipe but you can also use chicken thighs just make sure they are skinless and boneless. Dried chilies – you can easily adjust the amount of chilies to taste. Traditionally Sichuan peppercorns are also added so can also add in a few for extra heat. Shaoxing wine – this is a Chinese wine made from fermented rice and is used in a lot of Chinese cooking and even drinks. If you can’t find it, rice wine, dry sherry or Mirin will also work. Peanuts – peanuts give a nice crunchy texture to this stir fry that I just love, if you don’t have them cashews will also work. Cornstarch – this is used to thicken the sauce for a nice thick but silky texture.
How to Make Kung Pao Chicken
Marinade the chicken in cornstarch, soy sauce and wine, set aside.
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl and set aside.
Mince the ginger, garlic and cut up the veggies.
Brown the chicken in batches in a hot skillet, set aside.
Fry the peppers and chilies in a hot skillet until soft then add the ginger and garlic.
Add the peanuts and sauce and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and add the chicken and green onions, stir until warmed.
Pro tips for making this recipe
Water chestnuts and bamboo shoots are great additions to this dish. You can add 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or a nice balsamic vinegar to the sauce for added flavor. To keep ginger fresh, place it in a resealable plastic bag and store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Other than white rice you could serve this dish with some noodles. You can make this dish vegetarian by leaving out the meat completely and enjoy the kung pao sauce with vegetables, or why not add in some meaty mushrooms or tofu to replace the protein. Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be reheated.
What does Kung Pao Mean?
The dish is thought to be named after Ding Baozhen, a late Qing Dynasty official of Sichuan Province. It refers to a dish made with meat that’s stir-fried and tossed with vegetables, chilies, and peanuts.
What’s the difference between General Tso’s Chicken and Kung Pao Chicken?
There’s a big difference between these two dishes, General Tso’s chicken is battered and deep fried and tossed in sticky sauce. Kung Pao chicken, on the other hand, is browned in a skillet or a wok which is more traditional, and is then tossed in a delicious soy sauce-based sauce and lots of crunchy veg.
What does it taste like?
It has a delicious sweet, salty, and sour flavor that’s completely addictive. There are fresh flavors from fresh garlic and ginger, spiciness from the chilies, sweetness from the bell peppers, and rich umami flavors from the soy sauce, hoisin, and vinegar.
Is it healthy?
It’s not super healthy but it’s not extremely bad for us either, there’s no deep frying involved and there are delicious and nutritious vegetables in this dish. To make it healthier you can opt for low sodium soy sauce and reduce the sugar.
Can you make it in advance?
I don’t recommend making the whole dish in advance as it’s best served immediately but you can definitely prepare a lot of this dish in advance to speed things up. Here’s what I recommend;
Prepare the sauce in advance and keep it in a bowl in the fridge (make sure to stir it before cooking) Marinate the chicken in advance and store that in the fridge (bring it out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before cooking) Slice all the vegetables and keep them in the fridge to cut out a lot of prep time!
Can it be frozen?
Yes, leftovers can be frozen in suitable containers then thawed and reheated. Make sure everything is piping hot before serving. If you’ve tried this Kung Pao Chicken Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
