Kung Pao Chicken

I have always been intimidated by cooking Asian cuisine. I think it’s hard for me because I like to cook my food low and slow, while most Asian cooking is hot and fast. My friend recently had us over for dinner, and she made Szechuan chicken. It was so good that it made me want to try cooking Chinese food, and I made this kung pao chicken recipe.   It was spicy and full of flavor, while the chicken was tender and juicy. I served the Kung Pao chicken over garlic rice and with roasted broccoli on the side. It was a fantastic meal that was quick and simple to cook.

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized chunks
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 green onions, chopped, divided
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (less if you don’t want it really spicy)
• 3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1-2 tsp sugar, to taste
• ½ cup roasted peanuts

How to Make Kung Pao Chicken:

Prepare the garlic rice, if desired.

Combine chicken and cornstarch in a bowl and toss until evenly coated. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar in another bowl and set aside for later.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or wok with vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is smoking hot, add the chicken and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

Add a little more vegetable oil to the cast-iron skillet if needed. Add most of the green onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and stir-fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar mixture to the pan along with the cooked chicken and peanuts.

Coat the chicken and peanuts with the sauce and heat thoroughly.

Serve over garlic rice and top with remaining green onions. Enjoy. 

Kung Pao Chicken

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Course: Main

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: 4

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large Cast Iron Skillet or Wok

Ingredients

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts diced into bite-sized chunks
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 green onions chopped, divided
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp fresh ginger grated
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes less if you don't want it really spicy
• 3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1-2 tsp sugar to taste
• ½ cup roasted peanuts

Instructions

• Prepare the garlic rice, if desired.
• Combine chicken and cornstarch in a bowl and toss until evenly coated. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar in another bowl and set aside for later.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet or wok with vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is smoking hot, add the chicken and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
• Add a little more vegetable oil to the cast-iron skillet if needed. Add most of the green onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and stir-fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
• Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar mixture to the pan along with the cooked chicken and peanuts.
• Coat the chicken and peanuts with the sauce and heat thoroughly.
• Serve over garlic rice and top with remaining green onions. Enjoy.

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