Kung Pao Chicken

5 from 3 votes

This kung pao chicken is sweet, sticky, spicy, and delicious! The recipe is perfect for making the best take-out style kung pao chicken with tender chicken pieces and the tastiest kung pao stir-fry sauce at home.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: gong bao chicken, kung pao chicken, kung pao chicken recipe, kung pao sauce

Servings: servings

Calories: 392kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine
½ tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
white pepper to taste

Kung Pao Sauce Ingredients

2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
¾ tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
⅓ cup chicken broth or water
1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch

Kung Pao Stir Fry Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil more as needed
½ cup peanuts with or without skin
½ red bell pepper cut into bite-sized pieces
½ green bell pepper cut into bite-sized pieces
3 green onions sliced
3 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon minced ginger
5 dried chilies cut into pieces without seeds
½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper more to taste
white or black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add all chicken marinade ingredients to a bowl. Toss until evenly covered and let the chicken rest.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce, ½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine, ½ tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, white pepper
Next, whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Then set aside.
2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, ¾ tablespoon Chinese black vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, ⅓ cup chicken broth or water, 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
Preheat the vegetable oil in a pan or wok over medium to medium-high heat. Then roast the peanuts until they become toasted. Remove the peanuts from the pan.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, ½ cup peanuts
Next, add the bell pepper to the pan. Sear them over medium-high heat until they are still slightly crisp with a beautiful char on the outside. You may have to adjust the heat if it's too low or too high. Then remove the bell peppers.
½ red bell pepper, ½ green bell pepper
Add the marinated chicken thigh pieces to the pan. Sauté over medium-high heat until they are nicely colored on the outside and cooked through. Then remove the chicken from the pan.
Lastly, sauté the green onions, garlic cloves, ginger, and dried chilies over medium-low heat until fragrant. Make sure the ingredients don't burn and adjust the heat as needed.
3 green onions, 3 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon minced ginger, 5 dried chilies
Now add back the chicken, peanuts, and bell peppers. Give the sauce a quick stir and add it to the pan. Season with ground Sichuan pepper and white pepper. Then sauté until the sauce thickens.
½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper, white or black pepper
Serve alongside white rice and enjoy!

Nutrition