Kung Pao Chicken Recipe (The Best!)
User Reviews
4.6
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
5 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
3 people
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Calories
360 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe (The Best!)
Description
This Kung Pao Chicken Recipe begins with boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed and marinated in cornstarch, soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, and oil to tenderize and flavor the meat. A homemade Kung Pao sauce made from soy sauces, sugar, Chinese black vinegar, water, and a bit of cornstarch for thickness is prepared separately. The chicken is cooked in stages: first stir-fried until about 70% cooked, then removed to rest. The wok is reheated with oil and aromatics — ginger, garlic, dried red chilies — quickly stir-fried to release their fragrance before the chicken and roasted peanuts are returned. The sauce is added last and cooked until evenly coating the ingredients, finished by stirring in scallions.
The dish showcases the contrast of tender chicken with crunchy peanuts, gentle spiciness from chilies, and a balanced sauce that is salty, sweet, and slightly tangy from the black vinegar. High heat stir-frying and uniform chicken pieces promote even cooking and characteristic texture. The recipe encourages using authentic ingredients like Chinese black vinegar, with suggestions for substitutions and seasoning adjustments.
Serving immediately preserves the texture and flavor, and the recipe provides tips on variations such as using beef or shrimp and adding Sichuan peppercorns for numbing spiciness if desired.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. (350g) chicken breast boneless and skinless
- 3 tablespoons peanuts roasted
- 6-8 dried red chili seeded and cut into halves
- 3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 5 lices ginger peeled, fresh
- 2 cloves garlic sliced diagonally
- 1 talk scallion cut into rings
Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine optional, Chinese
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
Kung Pao Sauce:
- 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Chinese black vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken in water, then pat it dry with a paper towel. Cut the chicken into small cubes and marinate with the marinade ingredients for 30 minutes.
- Mix the ingredients for the Kung Pao Sauce in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Heat a wok with one tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the marinated chicken until it's 70% cooked. Remove it from the wok and set it aside. (The surface of the chicken should turn white and opaque, but it should not be fully cooked at this point.)
- Clean the wok or skillet with paper towels, then heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until fully heated. Add the ginger and garlic slices, and quickly stir-fry before adding the dried red chilies.
- Stir-fry the dried red chilies until aromatic, then add the chicken. Briefly stir-fry before adding the roasted peanuts.
- Add the sauce and stir continuously until the chicken is well coated. Then, add the scallions and mix thoroughly with the chicken.
- Dish out the Kung Pao chicken and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Notes
- Try substituting chicken with shrimp or beef for variation, adjusting cooking times accordingly.
- Use Chinese black vinegar for authentic flavor, or substitute with rice, red wine, or apple cider vinegar as needed.
- Adjust dried chili quantity to suit your preferred spice level; adding Sichuan peppercorns and hot chili oil enhances the authentic numbing heat.
- Heat the wok until smoking before cooking to develop the characteristic 'wok hei' flavor.
- Cut chicken into uniform pieces for even cooking and prepare sauce beforehand for smooth stir-frying.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 3people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 360 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 3g | |
| Calories | 360kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 9g | 3% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 20g | 118% |
| Cholesterol | 73mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 872mg | 36% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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