Kung Pao Chicken
Get your chopsticks ready for this homemade Kung Pao Chicken! It's a mouthwatering mix of tender chicken, crunchy peanuts, and veggies, all tied together with a zesty sauce that packs a punch. So good, you'll forget takeout even exists.
Servings: 4
Calories: 362kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless and skinless, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 dried red chilies
- 1 medium green bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- ½ cup roasted peanuts unsalted
- 3 green onions chopped
For The Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch until well-coated. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it is mostly cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the dried chilies, bell pepper, and zucchini. Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Pour the sauce over top and add the peanuts. Stir to combine everything well. Reduce the heat to low and let the dish simmer until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped green onions, and serve your Kung Pao Chicken hot with steamed rice.
Notes
- Cornstarch is your friend: It helps give the chicken that restaurant-quality texture.
- Spice Level: Feel free to tweak the amount of red chili flakes to suit your heat preference.
- Roasted Peanuts: Unsalted roasted peanuts are ideal, but you can sub with cashews for a different twist.
- Veggies: You can customize the vegetables based on what you have—snap peas, carrots, or mushrooms would also work well.
- Hoisin Sauce: Don't have hoisin? A mixture of soy sauce and a touch of molasses can serve as a backup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 574mg | Potassium: 812mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 406IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg