Kung Pao chicken
Kung Pao chicken is a quick stir-fry of diced chicken, dried chilies and roasted peanuts in a glossy sweet-sour-savory sauce. A hint of Sichuan pepper adds a tingle.
Kung-pao-shanghai: Steven G. Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
This is a signature dish of Sichuan cooking and is loved in many versions around the world. The sauce balances heat, sweetness and tangy vinegar.
Explore the cuisine of China.
Recipe
Make Kung Pao chicken at home
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, diced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang black vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 8 dried red chilies
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- 3 scallions, cut in lengths
How it's made
- Toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the cornstarch; rest 15 minutes.
- Mix remaining soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and 1 tablespoon water for the sauce.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok and toast chilies and peppercorns for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken and stir-fry until just cooked, 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger and scallions and stir-fry 30 seconds.
- Pour in the sauce, toss until glossy, then fold in the peanuts and serve with rice.
Variations
- Shrimp Kung Pao
- Tofu Kung Pao
- Zhejiang-style sweeter version
Cook’s tip: Have all ingredients measured before heating the wok; the cooking is fast.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Kung-pao-shanghai: Steven G. Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)