Kung pao chicken is Chinese-style stir-fried chicken cubes with dried chili peppers, capsicums and cashews. Popular Chinese take away dish in many parts of the world.

 

What is Kung Pao Chicken?

Kung pao chicken (宫保鸡丁), chicken is also known as Gong bao chicken or Kung po chicken, originated from Sichuan province, China.
Another popular dish that comes from Sichuan province is Mapo tofu.

The dish is made with simple ingredients of bite size chicken meat, capsicums, dried chillies, diced onion and peanuts.

Kung pao chicken is a popular as a Chinese take away or take out dish outside China.
Kung pao chicken makes a perfect one pot meal with the perfect combination of salty, sweet and spicy flavour

How to make Kung Pao Chicken?

We first start with kung pao chicken ingredients.

Do note that there are many variety Kung Pao chicken recipes out there.
I don't claim mine to be authentic nor the best kung pao chicken recipe, but I do tend to use whatever ingredients that I have in my refrigerator.

And I will explain after every photos (if applicable)

1. Basic ingredients for Kung Pao chicken.

Chopped garlic.
You can pound or grate garlic, it does not affect the taste that much.

Grated ginger.

Diced onion

Diced capsicums.
I used three colours capsicums for colours and aesthetic reason (colours to pop in my photos).

You can use single colour if that is you have in your refrigerator.

Or you can substitute with sugar snap peas if you dislike capsicum (like my daughter!!).

Cut sugar snap peas diagonally in half or third and add them last.
We want to retain sugar snap peas crunch and sweetness.

I used boneless skinless chicken breast and cut into bite size cubes.

I much prefer to use chicken thigh in my Kung Pao chicken recipe.

Cooking oil.

I prefer to use cashew nuts for my kung pao chicken than peanuts.

Cashews tasted better, less 'harder' and more creamier than peanuts.

Dried chillies, a must NOT omit ingredient in making kung pao chicken!

Dried chillies impart that subtle spicy taste, a truly Sichuan cuisine.

2. Sauces and ingredients to marinate chicken for Kung Pao chicken.

Add chopped garlic to chicken.

Add grated ginger.

Light soy sauce is added to the chicken.

Add dark caramel sauce.
This thick dark caramel sauce does not have any flavour but it is to add 'colour' to the food.

Hoisin sauce.

Mirin is added to the chicken to gives the dish a slight sour-sweet taste.
You can substitute mirin with 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon sugar.

Add corn flour to bind the ingredients and corn flour will act as thickener to the dish too.

3. How to cook Kung Pao chicken!

Heat oil in a small frying pan.

Add uncooked cashews to the hot oil.

Stir the cashews constantly until golden in colour.
Remove from oil and leave it aside to let the cashews cool down.

Using the same oil that we use to fry cashews, add about 2 tablespoon into a bigger frying pan.

Add cut up dried chillies.
Fry until fragrant and remove from pan (see video)

Add about another 2 tablespoon of oil and add diced onion.
Saute for about 5 minutes or until diced onion has sweated a bit.

Add capsicum and give a quick stir.
Remove from pan into another plate.

 Add more oil if needed.

Add marinated chicken into the hot frying pan.

Be careful of splatter.
And be careful of bits and bobs that may stuck to the pan (because of corn flour)

Add about half cup of water if the chicken gets too sticky.

Add the sauteed onion and capsicum back into the frying pan.
Stir.

Add fried dried chillies.

Corn slurry to the dish for a thicker, shiny and smooth kung pao chicken.

How to make Corn slurry?

Mix 1 tablespoon corn flour to 1/4 cup water

Stir thorough and add cashews when about to serve to the dining table.

How to serve Kung Pao chicken?

I usually serve my kung pao chicken with hot steam rice.

How do I keep any leftover?

Kung pao chicken best to be eaten on the day that is cooked.
However, we may have some leftover, it is best to keep kung pao chicken in a food container and place in the refrigerator.

How long can I keep kung pao left over in the fridge?

You can keep kung pao chicken refrigerated for max 3 days.

Make sure to heat up in either microwave or stove top thoroughly before consuming.
If kung pao chicken gets gluggy and thick, add some hot water and keep on heating on either stove top or microwave.

My other posts on spicy Chinese food

Mapo tofu
Dan Dan noodles

Video on How to cook Kung Pao Chicken

Posted on 10th February 2010
Food preparation for the 'Chinese New Year's Eve ... family gathering dinner'...   can be a laborious task...from preparation to cooking... variety of dishes ... plus so many things to do around the house... ie give the house a thorough cleaning from top to bottom (a simple task like sweeping the floor on the First Day of new Year is a big NO!! you'll sweep away the 'good luck' and many more do's and don'ts)...


Hence Kung Pow Chicken..might be an answer to a quick and tasty dish to serve.