Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

What Is Kung Pao Chicken

This Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe is variously known as Kung Po or Gong Bao and is a very addictive stir-fried Chinese recipe. It is a perfect blend of salty, sweet and spicy flavours with crisp bite-sized chicken chunks and some crunchy veggies swimming in a shimmering glaze. Of course, peanuts and chilli peppers are a must.

Today, Kung Pao Chicken is a standard on any Chinese restaurant menu. But I prefer making it at home as I can add or delete any ingredients. I didn’t have zucchini so I added carrots and I didn’t want it very hot so I opted for chilli flakes instead of dried chilli flakes. This dish is ready within 30 minutes and can beat your Swiggy or Zomato takeout speed any day.

Three parts to the Recipe

Let me list out the 3 parts of the dish to make it easier. Firstly, the marinated and stir-fried chicken, the sauce finally the stir-fried veggies.

For the Chicken, you need Soy Sauce, Vinegar and corn starch. Marinate the chicken and stir fry till nice and crisp in some peanut oil.

For the sauce, you need chicken broth, dark soy sauce and corn starch.

For the stir fry ingredients zucchini, peppers, peanuts and dried red chillies.

How to Make Kung Pao Chicken

As in most Chinese cooking, the prep takes some time with all the chopping but actual cooking time is quick and easy. Combine the chicken with the corn starch and dark soy sauce. The corn starch seals the moisture inside the chicken, giving it a seared golden colour while keeping it tender inside.

Add the remaining peanut oil to the wok and heat. Stir in the garlic, ginger, bell pepper, zucchini and stir-fry for 1 minute. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil, while stirring. You’ll notice the sauce start to thicken from the corn starch.

Once the sauce thickens slightly, add the chicken back to the wok, the red chillies, green onions and the peanuts. Stir everything together so that everything is coated in the sauce and cook for another minute. You’re all done!

My favourite way to serve this is overcooked long aromatic Basmati rice. You could also serve it over noodles or Fried Rice that I have shared earlier.

For the vegetarians, I have many options like this Chinese Mushroom or spicy Schezwan Potatoes or my favourite Garlic Mushrooms.

Ingredients

Chicken

250 gms Boneless Chicken cut into cubes

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp vinegar

Kung Pao Sauce

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 cup chicken broth (I just boiled 2 cubes of chicken)

1 tbsp  cornstarch

Stir-Fry

2 tbsp peanut oil divided

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp ginger minced

1 small red, yellow and green bell pepper cut into small 3/4 inch cubes

1 carrot cut into discs

10 dried red chillies

1 onion cut into cubes

2 tbsp peanuts dry-roasted

1 bunch green onions chopped

Method

For the Chicken

Coat the chicken with the corn starch, ensuring each chicken piece is covered with the soy and vinegar too. Set aside.

Add 2 tbsp of the peanut oil to a hot wok and toss in the chicken. Sauté until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

For the sauce: 

In a small bowl whisk together all the sauce ingredients and set aside.

For the Stir-Fry: 

Add 2 tbsp of peanut oil to the wok and heat. Stir in the garlic, ginger, onion, carrot bell pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the dry red chillies now but I just added little chilli flakes.

Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil, while stirring. The sauce will start to thicken. Once the sauce thickens slightly, add the chicken and stir everything together so that everything is coated in the dark sauce.

Turn off the flame and garnish with the green onions and the roasted peanuts. Your Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe is ready to be served. This chicken is full of flavours and floats in a  silky gravy scooped up with rice or noodles.

Serve: Serve this Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe over cooked Basmati rice, fried rice or also over noodles.