This tastes exactly like your local Chinese restaurant’s Take Out Style Kung Pao Chicken. The recipe starts with a tender chicken that is achieved by velveting (marinating technique). This dish is so easy to make and the flavors offer a perfect fusion of heat, spice, and umami.
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What is Kung Pao Chicken?
My parents opened a Chinese-American restaurant when I was younger and this was a popular dish that was served to customers. My dad’s version of kung pao chicken is more americanized and is less spicy than the authentic Chinese version.
Authentic Kung Pao Chicken typically includes Sichuan peppercorns, which contribute a unique numbing sensation to the dish. The use of dried red chili peppers and peanuts adds heat and crunch, respectively, enhancing the overall texture and flavor. Over time, Kung Pao Chicken has become a staple in Chinese-American cuisine and is enjoyed worldwide.
Kung Pao Sauce
The Kung Pao Sauce is created with oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, cornstarch and water. A cornstarch slurry is used to thicken the sauce, which coats the chicken and bell peppers very well.
I recommend to make this sauce after slicing the vegetables so you can add it in the pan or wok quickly. I swear I can just eat this savory and slightly spicy sauce on it’s own with hot white rice!
Ingredients you need for your kung pao chicken:
Here’s a look at the main ingredients to make this kung pao chicken recipe. The full list of ingredients to make this recipe is in the recipe card.
- chicken thighs – using thighs will make this meat taste juicier!
- garlic – provides flavor to the sauce and chicken marinade.
- ginger – helps with the gaminess of the chicken.
- soy sauce – adds savoriness and color to the dish.
- oyster sauce – adds sweetness and color to the dish.
- shaoxing cooking wine– helps with the gaminess of the chicken.
- white pepper – gives a nice heat to the chicken marinade
- chicken bouillon – add this at the end for more savoriness and sweetness sauce – cornstarch slurry that will help thicken the sauce in the overall dish!
- roasted peanuts – adds crunch and authentic taste to kung pao chicken.
Steps to make the kung pao chicken:
Chicken Marinade
Step 1. Cut chicken in 1 inch pieces and marinate with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt, corn starch, cooking wine, chicken bouillon and white pepper.
Step 3. Chop the stir fry ingredients (peppers, onions, celery) to prepare for the stir fry process.
Prepare Sauce
Step 4. Prepare the sauce before stir frying. Mix ½ tablespoon sugar, ½ tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon oyster sauce, pinch of salt, ½ tablespoon corn starch, and ¼ cup water. Make sure that the corn starch is mixed in and there are no clumps. Tip: Before you add the sauce in the stir fry, give it a good mix because the corn starch settles at the bottom after a few minutes of mixing.
Stir-Fry
Step 5. Heat pan or wok on high heat. After the pan is hot (see smoke), add 1 tablespoon oil. Then add your marinated chicken and fry until golden brown.
Step 6. Add oil to the pan. Fry the red chilis, chopped onion, garlic, and ginger until the red chilis turn dark red (1 minute). Keep mixing the ingredients to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn. Next, add celery and bell pepper, then stir fry the veggies for 2 minutes.
Step 7. Add sauce to the pan, which helps soften the veggies. Stir well and cook for one minute.
Step 8. After the sauce starts to thicken, add the peanuts and stir. Then turn off the heat.
Expert Tips
- Stir up your sauce before cooking. The cornstarch tends to clump at the bottom of the bowl.
- Use a Wok. Cooking in a wok creates flavor while also cooking the ingredients quickly. If you don’t have one (like me!) your next best option is a large cast iron skillet.
- Make Sure Your Wok (or Pan) is Hot. Be you add the oil and start cooking you want to heat your pan. Once you start to see it smoke slightly it’s ready to go.
- Gather Up All Your Ingredients. Stir frying is a quick method of cooking so to make things easier and not run the risk of stopping and starting, have everything measured out or arranged close to your cooking station.
Looking for more Chinese takeout dishes?
- chicken chow mein noodles – tender chicken with saucy noodles
- mongolian beef – tender beef stir fried with onions and peppers
- chinese steamed fish – steamed fish with scallions and sliced ginger
Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 chicken thighs (0.75 to 1 pound) cut in 1 inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tablespoon ginger minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon shaoxing cooking wine can sub with white wine or sake
- pinch of white pepper
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ tablespoon corn starch
- 1 cup water
Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon ginger
- marinated chicken
- 10-12 dried chili red pepper
- ¼ large onion chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- sauce
Garnish
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
Instructions
Marinate Chicken
- Cut the chicken thigh in 1 inch pieces and place in a bowl. Mince 3 (2 for chicken marinade and 1 for stir-fry) garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon ginger (save half for the stir-fry).
- To marinate the chicken thigh, add minced garlic, minced ginger, salt, soy sauce, corn starch, cooking wine, white pepper and chicken bouillon.
Make Sauce
- Prepare the sauce before stir frying. Mix soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, cornstarch and water. Make sure that the corn starch is mixed in and there are no clumps.
- Make Stir-Fry
- Prepare the stir fry ingredients. Chop onion, celery and bell pepper. Set these ingredients aside and prepare for the stir-fry.
- Heat pan or wok on high heat. After the pan is hot (see smoke), add 1 tablespoon oil. Then add your marinated chicken and fry until golden brown and make sure the chicken is cooked through (takes 3-4 minutes). Cover the pan when the chicken is cooking to prevent oil splatter. After chicken is golden brown, take the chicken out of the pan and set aside.
- The pan should still be hot (on med-high heat) and have some leftover oil from the chicken. Add an additional 1 tbs oil to the pan. Fry the red chilis, chopped onion, garlic, and ginger until the red chilis turn dark red (1 minute). Keep mixing the ingredients to ensure the garlic doesn't burn. Next, add celery and bell pepper, then stir fry the veggies for 2 minutes.
- Add sauce, which helps soften the veggies. Stir well and cook for one minute. Give a good stir to the sauce (from step 3) and add to the pan. Mix together.
- After the sauce starts to thicken, add the peanuts and stir. Then turn off the heat.
- Serve on a plate with some jasmine rice and top with some more peanuts if you like. Hope you enjoy!
Video
@cookwithdana this chicken is so fragrant and delicious! full recipe on cookwithdana.com ❤️ #foodontiktok #homecook #chinesefood #asianfood #chickenrecipe
♬ original sound – darcy stokes
Notes
- Before you add the sauce in the stir fry, give it a good mix because the corn starch settles at the bottom after a few minutes of mixing.
- Chop up your ingredients before cooking. The stir fry process is quite fast and you want to have these ingredients ready to add in the pan quickly.
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