Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
or use dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 pound boneless chicken)
cut into bite-size pieces (use chicken breast, chicken thighs, or a combination
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
or use balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns)
(black pepper is an OK substitute
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
or use sesame oil
- 10 dried Chinese peppers)
whole (or use chili de arbol - see recipe notes
- 2-3 fresh chili peppers
- 4 scallions
chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
minced
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- Extra roasted peanuts
chopped scallions, spicy chili flakes
Directions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine and cornstarch. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside.
- 2
In a separate bowl, whisk together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black vinegar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, honey, Sichuan peppercorns and chili flakes. Set aside.
- 3
Heat the vegetable oil to medium-high heat to high heat in a large pan or wok. Add the dried chilies and fresh chili peppers. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
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About this Recipe
Craving the vibrant, spicy, and deeply savory flavors of a classic Chinese stir fry right in your own kitchen? This Kung Pao Chicken recipe brings that authentic, wok-fried experience to your dinner table, proving that restaurant-quality flavor is just minutes away.
This recipe truly shines by balancing savory, sweet, and spicy elements, all coming together in that iconic brown sauce. The combination of light and dark soy sauces with Chinese black vinegar, hoisin, and a touch of honey creates a complex, irresistible base. Plus, with a mere 10 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking, it's designed for efficiency without compromising on bold taste.
What can you expect from a dish this quick and flavorful? You'll be treated to tender pieces of chicken, coated in a luscious, spicy brown sauce that boasts a pleasant heat from both chili flakes and fresh peppers. The dish is beautifully balanced by the aromatic notes of garlic and scallions, while the generous addition of roasted peanuts provides a delightful crunch and nutty counterpoint to the vibrant sauce. This is a satisfying, full-bodied stir fry that delivers on its promise of rich flavor and exciting textures.
Customizing this dish to your pantry or palate is straightforward. If you don't have rice wine, dry sherry makes an excellent substitute. For Chinese black vinegar, balsamic vinegar can be used in a pinch, offering a similar tang. Ground black pepper is a good stand-in if you don't have Sichuan peppercorns, and you can always adjust the amount of chili flakes and fresh peppers to control the spice level. Feel free to swap vegetable oil for sesame oil for an added nutty aroma in your stir fry.
Serve this quick and easy Kung Pao Chicken over steamed white rice to soak up all that delicious spicy brown sauce. It’s perfect for a weeknight meal when you want something flavorful and satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen, or as part of a larger Chinese-inspired feast.