Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken is highly addictive stir-fried chicken with the perfect combination of salty, sweet and spicy flavours! Make it better than Chinese take-out right in the comfort of your own home.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 28 ounces skinless chicken breast (boneless, cut into 1 inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock (or broth - water can be used)
- 5 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar (or substitute good-quality balsamic vinegar)
- 2 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour)
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil (divided)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic (4-6 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 1/2 red bell pepper (seeded and diced)
- 1/2 green bell pepper (seeded and diced)
- 8-10 dried chilies (cut into ½-inch pieces (adjust to taste))
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns (lightly toasted and ground)
- 4 green onion (scallion stems, cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine all ingredients for the chicken in a shallow bowl; cover and marinate for 10 minutes (if time allows).
- 2
Whisk sauce ingredients together until sugar dissolves; set aside.
- 3
Heat a large skillet, pan or wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, allow to heat up, then add marinated chicken. Fry chicken for 3-4 minutes while occasionally stirring, until edges are browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- 4
Add remaining cooking oil into the same pan/wok. Stir in garlic, ginger, chili diced peppers (capsicums) and Sichuan peppercorns and stir fry for 1 minute.
- 5
Give the prepared sauce a mix, then pour it into the pan and bring it to a boil while stirring.
- 6
Once it begins to thicken slightly, add chicken back into the pan/wok and mix all of the ingredients through the sauce until the chicken is evenly coated and sauce has thickened, (about 2 minutes).
- 7
Stir in green onions, peanuts and sesame oil. Toss well and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes to infuse all of the flavours together.
- 8
Serve immediately with steamed/cooked rice or fried rice!