Kung Pao Chicken
Dive into the bold flavors of Kung Pao Chicken, a beloved stir-fry that combines tender chunks of chicken with crunchy peanuts and a zesty, spicy sauce. This dish is all about the perfect balance of heat and sweetness, making it an irresistible weeknight favorite. Get ready to impress your taste buds with each savory bite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 2🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 蒜瓣3个（切片）
- 姜2片
- 大葱白两根（切马耳朵片）
- 清水2瓷勺 (30 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 鸡腿肉一把（约250g，去骨剁小块）
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 淀粉1瓷勺（勾芡用） (15 ml)
- 白糖1.5瓷勺（中和酸味提鲜） (22.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 香醋1.5瓷勺（醋酸味要冲一点） (22.5 ml)
- 老抽小半勺（上色） (2.5 ml)
- 生抽1瓷勺 (15 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 干辣椒6-8根（剪成段，去籽保留香味）
- 油炸花生米一小把（约50g，最后放）
- 花椒小半勺（约10粒）
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Marinate the chicken pieces with light soy sauce, cooking wine, cornstarch, and white pepper for 10 minutes. Add a small amount of cooking oil to lock in moisture.
- 2
Heat oil in a pan and fry the dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns on low heat for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Increase the heat and stir-fry the marinated chicken until it turns white on the surface (about 1 minute). Remove and set aside.
- 4
In the same pan, add ginger and garlic to sauté until fragrant. Add the fried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, then return the chicken to the pan.
- 5
Quickly pour in the prepared sauce and drizzle vinegar around the edge of the pan. Once the sauce thickens and coats the chicken, turn off the heat and add the fried peanuts before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate the chicken with cornstarch at a 1 tablespoon per 12 oz chicken ratio, then seal with oil—this creates a protective barrier called 'velveting' that prevents moisture loss during high-heat searing.technique1 tbsp cornstarch per 12 oz chicken
- ✓Fry the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns at 250-275°F (low heat) for exactly 30 seconds because their volatile aromatic oils—capsaicin and sanshool—degrade and turn bitter above 300°F.temperature250-275°F, 30 seconds
- ✓Stir-fry the marinated chicken over high heat (450°F+) for only 60 seconds until the surface turns opaque white, since prolonged exposure past this point causes the cornstarch coating to overcook and the proteins to seize, expelling moisture.timing450°F, 60 seconds
- ✓Drizzle the vinegar along the hot pan's edge rather than directly into the sauce—the higher surface temperature there (often 50-100°F hotter than the center) flash-vaporizes some acidity into aromatic esters while mellowing the remaining vinegar's sharpness.technique50-100°F hotter at pan edge
- ✓Add the fried peanuts only after the heat is off and the sauce has thickened, since residual steam and moisture will otherwise soften their cell structure and cause them to lose their signature crunch within minutes.timingadd off-heat, final 30 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Kung Pao Chicken
Dive into the bold flavors of Kung Pao Chicken, a beloved stir-fry that combines tender chunks of chicken with crunchy peanuts and a zesty, spicy sauce. This dish is all about the perfect balance of heat and sweetness, making it an irresistible weeknight favorite. Get ready to impress your taste buds with each savory bite!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 2🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 蒜瓣3个（切片）
- 姜2片
- 大葱白两根（切马耳朵片）
- 清水2瓷勺 (30 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 鸡腿肉一把（约250g，去骨剁小块）
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 淀粉1瓷勺（勾芡用） (15 ml)
- 白糖1.5瓷勺（中和酸味提鲜） (22.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 香醋1.5瓷勺（醋酸味要冲一点） (22.5 ml)
- 老抽小半勺（上色） (2.5 ml)
- 生抽1瓷勺 (15 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 干辣椒6-8根（剪成段，去籽保留香味）
- 油炸花生米一小把（约50g，最后放）
- 花椒小半勺（约10粒）
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Marinate the chicken pieces with light soy sauce, cooking wine, cornstarch, and white pepper for 10 minutes. Add a small amount of cooking oil to lock in moisture.
- 2
Heat oil in a pan and fry the dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns on low heat for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Increase the heat and stir-fry the marinated chicken until it turns white on the surface (about 1 minute). Remove and set aside.
- 4
In the same pan, add ginger and garlic to sauté until fragrant. Add the fried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, then return the chicken to the pan.
- 5
Quickly pour in the prepared sauce and drizzle vinegar around the edge of the pan. Once the sauce thickens and coats the chicken, turn off the heat and add the fried peanuts before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate the chicken with cornstarch at a 1 tablespoon per 12 oz chicken ratio, then seal with oil—this creates a protective barrier called 'velveting' that prevents moisture loss during high-heat searing.technique1 tbsp cornstarch per 12 oz chicken
- ✓Fry the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns at 250-275°F (low heat) for exactly 30 seconds because their volatile aromatic oils—capsaicin and sanshool—degrade and turn bitter above 300°F.temperature250-275°F, 30 seconds
- ✓Stir-fry the marinated chicken over high heat (450°F+) for only 60 seconds until the surface turns opaque white, since prolonged exposure past this point causes the cornstarch coating to overcook and the proteins to seize, expelling moisture.timing450°F, 60 seconds
- ✓Drizzle the vinegar along the hot pan's edge rather than directly into the sauce—the higher surface temperature there (often 50-100°F hotter than the center) flash-vaporizes some acidity into aromatic esters while mellowing the remaining vinegar's sharpness.technique50-100°F hotter at pan edge
- ✓Add the fried peanuts only after the heat is off and the sauce has thickened, since residual steam and moisture will otherwise soften their cell structure and cause them to lose their signature crunch within minutes.timingadd off-heat, final 30 seconds