Kung Pao chicken, also known as Gong Bao or Kung Po, is a popular stir-fried dish from China featuring diced chicken cooked in a sweet, spicy, and savory sauce. This dish originated in southwestern China during the early 1800s.

What Is In Kung Pao Chicken?

This Kung Pao chicken recipe consists of diced chicken breasts marinated in a mixture of cornstarch, water, white wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The chicken is then tossed in a delicious sweet-savory sauce made with hot chili paste, brown sugar, white vinegar, water chestnuts, peanuts, onions, and garlic.

Tips:

• Use Shaoxing wine if available.
• You can replace peanuts with cashews and water chestnuts with bamboo shoots.
• For added color and flavor, consider adding cubed red and green bell peppers.

How to Make Kung Pao Chicken

Brief overview of what you can expect when you make this top-rated Kung Pao chicken.

1. Make the marinade, then marinate chicken in the fridge.
2. Make the chili paste-brown sugar sauce. Add the remaining ingredients and cook.
3. Cook the marinated chicken in a skillet until it’s cooked through.
4. Add the chicken to the chili paste-brown sugar sauce.
5. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens.

The Kung Pao chicken pairs perfectly with plain rice.

Now, Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons white wine, divided
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce & sesame oil each, divided
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into chunks
• 1 ounce hot chili paste
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
• 4 ounces chopped peanuts, 4 chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

Directions

Step 1: Gather all ingredients.

Step 2: Combine water and cornstarch in a cup; set aside.

Step 3: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture in a large glass bowl. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover the dish and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Step 4: Combine remaining 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and remaining cornstarch/water mixture in a medium bowl. Whisk in chili paste, brown sugar, and vinegar. Add water chestnuts, peanuts, green onions, and garlic and toss to coat.

Step 5: Transfer water chestnut mixture to a medium skillet. Heat slowly over medium heat until aromatic

Step 6: Meanwhile, transfer chicken from marinade into a large skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Step 7: Combine water chestnut mixture and sautéed chicken together in one skillet. Adjust heat and simmer together until sauce thickens.

Nutrition Facts