Kung pao chicken or gong bao ji ding (宫保鸡丁) is a popular Chinese-takeout dish made with juicy diced chicken, diced vegetables, and roasted peanuts all stir fried with a savory, slightly sweet, and spicy brown sauce. This better-than-takeout version can be easily made at home and is perfect with a side of egg fried rice or shrimp fried rice!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Yield: 3servings
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Ingredients
For the chicken:
2poundsboneless, skinless chicken thighscut into no larger than ½ inch dices (about 5 to 6 thighs)
In a large mixing bowl, add the diced chicken, the egg white, shaoxing rice wine, and salt. Mix vigorously until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
Next, add the cornstarch and mix until all the chicken is evenly coated. Finish by adding the oil and mix until well combined. Set aside as you prepare everything else and let the chicken marinate for 5 to 10 minutes or overnight.
Prepare the kung pao sauce:
In a bowl or measuring cup, combine all the ingredients for the kung pao sauce (soy sauce, hoisin, water, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil). Mix until well combined and set aside.*If you prefer a thicker sauce, use an additional 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch.*
Make the kung pao chicken:
In a wok or sauté pan, add about ¼ inch to ½ inch of oil. Heat the oil to 350°F and maintain the heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the marinated chicken pieces into the oil and fry for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and turns kind of golden. While the chicken pieces are frying, use a spoon or a pair of tongs to break up the chicken. When the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and let it drain on some paper towel.*Make sure to not overcrowd the pan so the oil temperature doesn't drop drastically! Fry in batches if needed.*
Drain most of the oil from the wok or pan, leaving about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Heat the oil over medium high heat.*If you are uncomfortable with handling the leftover hot oil, use a new pan! Safety comes first!*
When the oil is hot, add the minced garlic, ginger, ground and whole chili peppers. Stir fry until fragrant.
Add the onion, bell pepper, bamboo shoots and the white parts of the green onion. Stir fry for about 30 seconds to a minute, until the vegetables are warmed through. Add the fried chicken pieces, roasted peanuts, and green parts of the green onion. Stir fry briefly until evenly combined.
Give the prepared sauce a mix and pour it around the wok. Let the sauce simmer for a few seconds, until it starts to thicken. Toss the kung pao chicken until everything is evenly coated.
Serve the kung pao chicken with white or fried rice and garnish with more roasted peanuts. Enjoy!
Notes
Please refer to the post above for step by step photo references, tips, and FAQ!
Chicken - We opted for chicken thighs because they are the juiciest and most flavorful. If you prefer, you can also use chicken breast.
Size - It is very important that the chicken, whether you use thighs or breasts, is cut into small dices no larger than ½ inch. If the chicken pieces are too big, they'll take more time to cook, which can make them dry. They'll also take a longer time to properly marinate.
Chili pepper - Did you know that you can skip chili pepper and use chili oil for the spice? If you don't have chili pepper on hand, simply skip it and just drizzle your desired amount of chili oil on the kung pao chicken and give it a few tosses to evenly distribute.