Kung Pow Recipe
on May 19, 2022
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If Kung Pow Chicken is one of your go-to dishes when you order Chinese food, why not make it at home? It’s easier than you think, and is better than any you’ve had at a restaurant.
Surprise your family with this delicious homemade kung pow. Just follow the steps in the recipe for perfect results every time!
What is Kung Pow Chicken?
Kung pow chicken, also known as kung pao chicken, is a popular stir-fried Chinese food dish that’s made with chicken, veggies, and a flavorful sauce. The chicken can also be deep fried, and the dish typically includes peanuts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- boneless skinless chicken breast
- soy sauce
- baking soda
- Chinese shaoxing wine
- cornstarch
- Kung Pao sauce: Made of chicken stock, soy sauce, vinegar, Chinese shaoxing wine, hoisin sauce, sugar, and cornstarch
- vegetable oil
- garlic
- ginger
- bell pepper
- dried chilies
- Sichuan peppercorns
- green onion
- peanuts
- sesame oil (optional)
How to Make Kung Pow Chicken
Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
- Mix together the soy sauce, baking soda, shaoxing wine, and cornstarch in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken, cover and marinate for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Make Kung Pow Sauce
- Whisk together the ingredients for the kung pow sauce until the sugar dissolves; set aside.
Step 3: Cook Kung Pow Chicken
- Add oil to a large skillet over high heat. Then add the marinated chicken.
- Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes while occasionally stirring, until the edges are browned. Remove the chicken from the heat and set it aside.
- Add the remaining oil into the same pan. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chili, diced peppers and Sichuan peppercorns and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Stir the prepared sauce and pour it into the pan. Stir the sauce as it comes to a boil.
- When the sauce begins to slightly thicken, add the chicken and stir to combine all of the ingredients for about 2 minutes until the chicken is evenly coated and the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the green onions, peanuts and sesame oil. Toss well and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!
What Does Kung Pao Taste Like?
Kung pao is a delicious combination of sweet, sour, savory, and spicy flavors.
Kung Pao Sauce
Kung pao sauce gets its flavor from a variety of spices and soy sauce, sugar, hoisin sauce, and Chinese shaoxing wine. It has a smooth texture and is pleasantly sweet and spicy.
Szechuan Peppercorns
This spice has tangy overtones and creates a numbing sensation in the mouth. Unlike what you might expect, Szechuan peppercorns are not spicy but rather create a slight numbing sensation in the mouth that’s characteristic of Sichuan cuisine.
They’re available in most Asian grocery stores and available online. If you can’t find any, try substituting a combination of regular black peppercorns and coriander seeds, although you won’t get the same numbing effect.
What Is Velveting?
Velveting is a process used in Chinese cooking to make meat soft and tender. It means “pass coated meat through” boiling water or hot oil.
What’s The Difference Between Hunan And Kung Pao?
Hunan chicken is quite spicy. Kung Pao is served in a sauce that’s sweeter and has less of a spicy kick.
Is Kung Pao Hot?
Kung pao is a sweet and spicy dish. The sweet balances the spicier elements of the dish, making it ideal for those who enjoy dishes that are a good combination of sweet and spicy.
Best Kung Pow Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 28 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon Chinese shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Kung Pao Sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Chinese shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Kung Pow Chicken
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 cups mixed bell pepper, diced
- 8 dried chilies, sliced
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 5 green onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup peanuts
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil , optional
Instructions
- Mix together the soy sauce, baking soda, shaoxing wine, and cornstarch in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken, cover and marinate for 15 minutes.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the kung pow sauce until the sugar dissolves; set aside.
- Heat a large skillet or work over high heat. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and then add the marinated chicken.
- Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes while occasionally stirring, until the edges are browned. Remove the chicken from the heat and set it aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cooking oil into the same pan. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chili, diced peppers and Sichuan peppercorns and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Stir the prepared sauce and pour it into the pan. Stir the sauce as it comes to a boil.
- When the sauce begins to slightly thicken, add the chicken and stir to combine all of the ingredients for about 2 minutes until the chicken is evenly coated and the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the green onions, peanuts and sesame oil. Toss well and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
