Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken – it’s savory, it’s sweet, it’s tangy, and those dried chilis give it just a bit of kick!

Don’t be intimidated by the number of ingredients, you can whip this up in half-hour or less. Perfect week-night meal!

How many of you like Chinese food?

ME ME ME! We all have those nights when we simply don’t feel like cooking and search for take out menus in the kitchen drawer. Eight out ten times we reach out for those menus with the firing dragon. But rarely have I come across fantastic Chinese take out here in Florida.

Don’t get me wrong, I have been to some amazing Chinese sit down restaurants, but somehow I never get excited over the usual take out. It lacks that punch or flavor. But of course, you get what you paid for.

The other alternative is start “woking” in your own kitchen and filling up your pantry with all those dark colored sauces, start sprouting, and dicing those colorful fresh veggies. Then you can control what you like in your stirs and fries.

You like them garlicky? Or do you like more of that gorgeous ginger root? Perhaps a bit tangier with a little more vinegar? In my case, it’s more of those red peppers to make it Sichuan fiery with invisible dragons smoking from the dish… Don’t worry, I didn’t put too much in yours!

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I escorted package tours in China back in another era, 2006-7. That’s when I had my first authentic Chinese food in the land of dragons, and it’s completely different from what you get in rest of the world. Our favorites like orange chicken and general Tso don’t even exit in mainland China.

It’s such a huge country and they have different regional cuisines like Cantonese, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Hunan, Shandong and so many others with lots of steamed, braised and boiled dishes made with exotic sounding plants and animals… more about that in some other blog.

Saying all that, I still chow down on my orange chicken or a big bowl of Chop Suey with just as much vigor as a nice authentic Yum Cha.

That’s the beauty of creativity… some entirely new and delicious thing exists thanks to the creativity of some chefs in a bygone era, when Chinese immigrants suddenly crowded the western shore… or some fusion Indo-Chinese dish loaded with tons of garlic and maybe a garnish of coriander.

Well, it’s just my love of Chinese food causing my rambling, as most of the time I am just not completely satisfied when I open that take out  carton.

I would be just happy chappy if I get some perfectly balanced hot, sweet and tangy stir fry with crunchy veggies over a big bed of rice. Such a small wish, yet so hard to find in Florida.

That started my experimenting with different stir frys at home. When it comes to stir frys, the sauces I can’t do without are soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, some nice rice vinegar, sometimes some hot sauces or hot and sweet sauces, and honey. You can whip up a mighty good stir fry using some or all of these.

What is Kung Pao Chicken?

Tonight I feel like something fiery. I love spicy food, from Jamaican Jerk to Hunan Shrimp to fiery Salsa Taquera. That’s why I’m thinking Kung Pao style chicken. This authentic dish, sometimes called as Gong Bao, is from the Sichuan province, known for its spicy food.

They often use the Sichuan peppercorn, which gives a mouth numbing effect when eaten raw. You can find them in Asian stores.

Otherwise, just your regular dry red chilies are enough to reach for that glass of water if you are spice intolerant, like some members of my family.

And no, I’m not talking about Jason here, he can take more heat than me… so we are well matched in that aspect.

Kung Pao Chicken Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
• Bell Peppers – I am using one red and one green.
• Garlic – This usually finds its way into my dishes!
• Ginger – A stir fry staple.
• Dried chilis – We want some kick here.
• Scallions – Because.
• Peanuts – Crunchy goodness.
• Cooking oil – For frying.
• Corn starch – To make the chicken crispy.
• The sauce – This is the soul of the dish. Soy sauce, hoisin sauce, white vinegar, cooking sherry, chicken broth, sesame oil, sugar and corn starch.

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Stir frying is super quick, most of your time is prep work. First cut your chicken into bite sized pieces and marinate in a mixture of cornstarch, cooking sherry (better yet, Chinese wine if you have it), soy sauce, corn starch and a little oil.

This not only tenderizes the meat a bit, but when frying it seals the moisture in so you get a golden crunchiness outside.

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Then, while chicken is marinating, whip up the sauce, dice your veggies and get your peanuts ready. Now you are all ready, this will be really quick!

Get your wok sizzling hot and add oil. Add your marinated chicken and fry 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and set aside.

Add a little more oil, then in goes your ginger, garlic, bell peppers… next red chilies…

Return chicken to pan, add Kung Pao sauce… peanuts, scallions… stir and fry continuously by tossing and turning, back and forth, circular, turning and flipping… this is the fun part!

Serve alongside white rice, or our easy Spicy Noodles. Better than takeout!

Check out our collection of favorite Stir Fry Recipes!

Recipe Notes and Tips

1. Chicken Preparation: It’s best to use boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. Cut them into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
2. Marinating Chicken: Marinate the chicken for at least 10 minutes to infuse it with flavor. If time allows, marinating it for up to an hour will yield even better results.
3. Handling Chilies: When handling dried chilies, be cautious not to touch your eyes or face. To decrease the spice level, you can de-seed the chilies.
4. Sauce Thickening: The sauce should thicken upon cooking due to the addition of cornstarch. If it’s too thick, you can add a bit of water or chicken stock. If it’s too thin, let it simmer for a little longer.
5. Peanuts vs. Cashews: Traditionally, Kung Pao Chicken is made with peanuts, but you can substitute them with cashews if you prefer.
6. Wok Cooking: Cook on high heat to replicate the authentic flavors of Chinese street food. But be careful not to burn the garlic or ginger. Keep things moving in the wok!
7. Vegetable Options: Feel free to add more veggies like mushrooms or snow peas to bulk it up.
8. Serve Immediately: Chinese dishes like Kung Pao Chicken are best served immediately while the dish is hot and the peanuts or cashews are still crunchy.
9. Reheating: If you have leftovers, they can be reheated in a pan over medium heat. Add a splash of water or chicken broth to keep the chicken moist.

Conclusion

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Kung Pao Chicken, on our Gypsy Plate… Enjoy!

Try these other great stir fry recipes!
Beef and Broccoli
Beef Bulgogi
Orange Chicken
Mongolian Beef
Bo Luc Lac
Pork Stir Fry
Beijing Beef
Ground Beef Stir Fry
Easy Chicken Stir Fry