Kung Pao Chicken
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
372 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Asian
Kung Pao Chicken
Description
The chicken is first marinated briefly in soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch, tenderizing it and delivering a savory baseline. The stir-fry includes diced green and red bell peppers, fresh ginger, garlic, and dried chilies, which infuse the dish with vibrant heat and aromatic notes. The prepared Kung Pao Sauce, combining soy sauces, chicken broth, black vinegar, hoisin, sugar, and a cornstarch slurry, thickens to a glossy finish that coats the ingredients evenly.
After cooking the chicken until golden, the vegetables and chilies are stir-fried separately before the sauce and chicken are combined. The addition of chopped green onions, roasted peanuts, and optional sesame seeds creates texture contrast and layered flavors from spicy, sweet, tangy, to nutty. The dish is cooked quickly to maintain crisp vegetable edges and tender chicken pieces.
This Kung Pao Chicken recipe captures the balance of heat, richness, and crunch associated with this stir-fry classic without unnecessary complexity. It is suited to serving with steamed rice to absorb the flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 24 oz chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces, boneless, skinless
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tbsp dry sherry or Chinese Shaoxing wine, wine
- 2 tsp neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
Kung Pao Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp dry sherry or Chinese Shaoxing wine, wine
- 2 tsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Stir Fry
- 4 tbsp neutral cooking oil for frying, generic cooking oil
- 6 red chili pepper chopped roughly, dried
- 1/2 green bell pepper cut into bite-size pieces, large
- 1/2 red bell pepper cut into bite-size pieces, large
- 1 tbsp ginger fresh
- 4 garlic about 2 tbsp pressed garlic, large cloves
- 6 green onions cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup peanuts roasted
- 1 tsp sesame seeds optional, garnish
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-size cubes. Combine the Chicken Marinade ingredients together. Add chopped chicken and let it sit for at least 10 minutes to tenderize.
- In a separate dish, combine the Kung Pao Sauce ingredients together. Whisk until cornstarch is dissolved and the sauce is smooth then set aside.
- Preheat a wok or a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add chicken and cook on medium-high until it's golden brown and almost fully cooked. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pan. Add chopped bell peppers, pressed garlic, grated ginger and dried chilies. Toss it together in a pan and stir fry for 4 minutes.
- Add the prepared Kung Pao Sauce to the pan, stir everything together. As soon as the sauce starts to thicken, add chicken to the pan. Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Add chopped green onion, peanuts, and sesame seeds, then stir to combine.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 372 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 372kcal | 19% |
| Carbs | 17g | |
| Protein | 31g | 62% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 73mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 1041mg | 43% |
| Potassium | 794mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 929IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 90mg | 100% |
| Calcium | 43mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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