Kung Pao Chicken (Better Than Panda Express!)
This Kung Pao Chicken recipe features tender chicken, dried chilies, crunchy peanuts, and fresh green onions all tossed in a sweet and spicy kung pao sauce, served over steaming rice. It’s my own version of a classic Chinese take-out favorite!
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INGREDIENTS
Chicken Marinade
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces, 1 inch
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry Sherry wine, or Chinese Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
Kung Pao Sauce
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth, I used homemade
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or Chinese vinegar
- 2 tablespoon dry Sherry wine, or Chinese Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Kung Pao Stir Fry
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided, or similar, for frying
- 5 dried red chili peppers, chopped roughly and seeds removed
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 3 large garlic cloves, about 2 tablespoon pressed garlic
- 5 green onions, cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ cup roasted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional, garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch bite-sized cubes. Mix together the Chicken Marinade ingredients, then add the chicken and let it sit for at least 15 minutes to tenderize.1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dry Sherry wine, 2 teaspoon olive oil
- In a separate bowl, combine the Kung Pao Sauce ingredients. Whisk until the cornstarch dissolves and the sauce is smooth. Set it aside.¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, ½ cup low sodium chicken broth, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoon dry Sherry wine, 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the chicken and cook on medium-high heat until it’s golden brown and nearly cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, 3 tablespoon olive oil
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add the chopped bell peppers, pressed garlic, grated ginger, and dried chilies. Stir-fry for 4 minutes until the veggies are tender.5 dried red chili peppers, 1 large red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 3 large garlic cloves, 2 teaspoon olive oil
- Pour the Kung Pao Sauce into the pan and stir everything together. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the chicken back to the pan. Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Add chopped green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds, and stir to combine. Let it warm through a bit, then remove from heat.5 green onions, ½ cup roasted peanuts, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Serve with extra sesame seeds on top.
VIDEO
NOTES
- To Make Ahead. You can prepare the kung pao sauce and marinade in advance. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge. The chicken can marinate for up to 4 hours.
- To Freeze. Although it’s best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze the Kung Pao Chicken after it’s cooled. Put it in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator before reheating to serve.
- If you ran out of balsamic or Chinese vinegar, you can use rice wine vinegar, white vinegar instead. I’ve tried Kung Pao Sauce with all these options, and they work quite well.
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