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Kung Pao Chicken is a dish with a perfect combination of salty, sweet, and spicy flavor. It is a popular classic Chinese dish of stir-fried Chechen, peanuts, and vegetables. And did I mentioned it is very easy to make at home and very highly addictive.
A takeout favorite for good reason! Kung pao chicken is pan-fried to crispy perfection and coated in a spicy, savory sauce that will leave you wanting more. Once you try making it from scratch, you won’t want it any other way!
Craving some spicy-sweet Kung Pao chicken but short on time? This recipe is the answer. We’re ditching the deep-frying for a lighter pan-fry, but trust me, the flavor doesn’t skimp. The homemade kung pao sauce is so amazing – garlicky, vinegary, with a sneaky chili kick. Stir-fried together with chopped bell peppers and peanuts, this homemade Kung Pao chicken is the perfect combination of flavors and textures!
Homemade kung pao chicken is weeknight-friendly, party-approved, and guaranteed to leave your taste buds singing. It’s always a hit with everyone! So grab your wok, crank up the heat, and let’s get cooking!
Mise En Place: What you will need to make this Kung Pao Chicken
why I think you will like this Kung Pao Chicken?
- It is a relatively easy dish to make in your own kitchen, and it will taste like restaurant quality one.
- It got so many flavors going on: tangy, sweet, and salty with a hint of heat combining in the right amount of each ingredient to come up with a winning flavor combination.
- Restaurant Quality: my version of Kung Pao Chicken rivals the one you order from your favorite local Chinese takeout and easy to make in your own kitchen.
- Adaptable: the best part of making my Kung Pao Chicken at your own home, you have the freedom of adding and using ingredients you already have in your pantry and frigde.
- Taste: is has all the spicy sweet, tangy, and sour flavors of traditional Kung Pao Chicken.
How to make this Kung Pao Chicken
Marinade the chicken:
Start combing the chicken, oil, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, salt and pinch of pepper.
Sauce preparation:
Mix together all the sauce ingredients: light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, water, cornstarch and set aside.
Gather the vegetables ingredients:
- tablespoon of oil
- 3 tablespoons garlic cloves, minced
- 2 thin slices of ginger
- Dried red chilies, seeded and broken
- Scallions cut into 3/4″ pieces
- Celery
- Red bell pepper
Now You Are Ready to Cook Your Kung Pao Chicken
Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat, add oil, sear the chicken for about 2 minutes, then remove the chicken from the skillet and into a bowl and set aside.
Turn the to low and add more oil. Time to add the vegetables, cook for one more minute or until flagrant.
Add Back the chicken to the wok and turn up the heat stir fry for one minute. Add the prepare sauce to the skillet and cook for one more minute and the sauce should thicken by now. Finally add the peanut in this case I use pistachios.
Finally serve your Kung Pao Chicken rice and Bon appetite!
Kung Pao Chicken
DifficultyMedium
Servings5
Prep time20 minutes
Cook time10 minutes
Total time30 minutes
Kung Pao chicken, a classic Chinese takeout dish of stir-fried chicken, peanuts, and vegetables, is easy to make at home.
Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon dry cherry
- 2 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
FOR THE STIR-FRY VEGETACLES
- 2 1/2 tabespoons oil, vegetable
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 scallions, green and white parts
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted cashews, unsalted
Instructions
- 1
- Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 2
- Prepare the sauce: In another medium bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until the cornstarch is dissolved (it can stick to the bottom of the bowl so be sure to scrape it up).
- 3
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat. Add the bell pepper, celery, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and set aside.
- 4
- Add an additional ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan and set over high heat. Add half of the chicken (it’s important not to crowd the pan) and brown on one side, about 1½ minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and continue cooking for about 1½ minutes more, or until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the peppers and celery. Add another ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the remaining chicken and cook until golden on one side, about 1½ minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and cook for 1 minute. Add ½ tablespoon more oil to the pan, along with the garlic and scallions, and cook, stirring with the chicken, for about 30 seconds more.
- 5
- Add the reserved vegetables and reserved chicken to the pan, along with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken and vegetables are warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Stir in the nuts. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve. (Note: the sauce will thicken as it sits; thin it with a few tablespoons of water, if necessary.)
- 6
- Add the reserved vegetables and reserved chicken to the pan, along with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken and vegetables are warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Stir in the nuts. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve. (Note: the sauce will thicken as it sits; thin it with a few tablespoons of water, if necessary.)
