Kung Pao Chicken
Try something new and ditch the old boring sandwiches! This Kung Pao Chicken is so simple to make but very flavorful. The sauce is a sweet and tangy soy-based sauce, crispy chicken sauteed in wonderful aromatics, and combined with bell pepper, and green onions.
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Can you relate? I made this Kung Pao Chicken with what I have available in my pantry and fridge. In an Asian household, you always see condiments like chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, etc. You’ll also find lots of garlic, ginger, and green onions. These are the basic ingredients I have in my house, I just think and come up with variety of recipes I can make with whatever protein I can add to my veggies. Then I think of some type of sauce or flavorings with all those condiments I have available. This is my version of Kung Pao Chicken!
what is kung Pao?
Kung Pao is also known as Gong Bao. It’s a Chinese dish and a classic Sichuan cuisine, stir fried made with chicken, peanuts or cashews, vegetables, and chili peppers. It’s combined with salty, sweet, and spicy flavor sauce. In this recipe I made my own version, it’s slightly spicy but sweet and tangy. I also fried the chicken first to make them crispy and more flavorful.
ingredients:
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Cornstarch
- Red bell pepper
- Green onions
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Cashews
- Sesame seeds
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Brown sugar
- Red chili pepper flakes
- Cornstarch
STEP-BY-STEP:
- This is very simple process. First, combine all the sauce ingredients, make sure to stir enough until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set the sauce aside. Cut the bell pepper in bite size pieces, slice the green onions, minced garlic, and ginger. Set the veggies aside. With a sharp knife, cut the chicken thighs in bite-sized pieces (remove extra fat). Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add cornstarch, toss to coat well.
- In a wok or wide pan, heat the oil. Make sure the oil is hot enough and don’t crowd the pan. This ensures your chicken comes out crispy outside, tender and moist inside. Cook them for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Move the chicken around with your tongs or spatula to make sure they cook evenly on both sides. After browning, remove them from the pan and drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Set the chicken aside.
- Get a clean pan, add about 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Heat the oil, add garlic and ginger, saute for a minute or until aromatic. Add the bell pepper, green onion, cashews (you can also use peanuts), sesame seeds, season with salt, and pepper, stir to combine. Add the chicken and the sauce, the cornstarch might stay at the bottom, stir the sauce before adding to the pan to make sure that it’s fully incorporated. Serve with steamed rice.
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Kung Pao Chicken
Equipment
- Wok or wide pan
- Tongs
- Mixing bowls
- knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, add more for more heat
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
FOR THE VEGGIES
- 4 garlic cloves. minced
- 1 inch or thumb-sized ginger, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, cut into cubes
- 4 stalks green onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, and red chili pepper flakes. Stir to combine and make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add cornstarch, toss to coat well. Heat a wok with oil, add the chicken, cook until golden brown. Remove from the pan, use a paper towel to drain excess oil. Set aside. Drain the excess oil from the pan, leave about 2-3 tablespoons of oil for stir-frying.
- After the oil is well heated, add garlic and ginger, saute until aromatic. Add bell pepper, green, onion, cashews, and sesame seeds. Season with salt and pepper, stir to combine.
- Add the chicken and sauce, stir to combine. Serve with steamed rice.
Notes
- You can also use dried chilis for added heat
- You can substitute cashews for peanuts
- You can add other vegetables like broccoli, snow peas, carrots, and celery
- You can use shrimps or even tender-cut beef for this recipe
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Tag @leanbellaskitchen and hashtag #leanbellaskitchenequipment
ABOUT JEN
Welcome to my virtual home. I’m a mom of two wonderful girls and a Community Education Culinary Instructor. I love to prepare and cook home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. However, cooking and prepping meals will save you money, time, and you know what goes into your food. Definitely worth the effort. Read more…
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