Take out style Kung Pao Chicken with marinated chicken, the signature sweet-sour-salty Kung Pao sauce with the addictive tingling heat from sichuan pepper.
It’s an explosion of big, BIG flavours – and it’s a really quick and easy recipe.
Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken is a Chinese takeout favourite that is mouthwateringly good and highly addictive – so it’s a good thing it’s easy to make at home so we don’t need to order takeout every time we crave it!! We love the strong flavoured sweet-sour-savoury sauce with the signature tingle of numbing heat from the Sichuan pepper!
If you’re wondering whether Kung Pao Chicken is authentic Chinese, the dish as we know it outside of China is a slightly westernised version of an authentic Chinese Sichuan dish.
Traditionally in China, Kung Pao Chicken is a dry stir fry. Which means, unlike 99% of other Asian stir fries on my site like Chop Suey and Cashew Chicken, it’s not swimming in loads of sauce.
But with Kung Pao Chicken, the sauce is very intense flavoured so you don’t need loads of it. When it mixes in with the rice, just a bit of sauce goes a long way.
What goes in Kung Pao Chicken
Most of these ingredients are pretty mainstream Asian cooking ingredients. I’ve provided substitutes for the Chinese cooking wine in the recipe.
The ingredients I describe in a little more detail below are:
- Sichuan pepper
- Chinese vinegar
- Dried chillies
I like to use chicken thigh because it’s juicier than breast and tenderloin. If I make this with chicken breast, I always tenderise it using a Chinese restaurant technique using baking soda (bi-carb). It’s super simple, see directions here: How to Velvet Chicken.
Sichuan Pepper
This is the ingredient in Kung Pao sauce that makes it Kung Pao and not just any type of stir fry sauce. I describe it as a little bit lemony with a numbing spiciness, rather than hot spiciness like almost every other chilli.
I used to use whole peppercorns but nowadays I tend to use pre ground both for the convenience and also because it’s finely ground. In contrast, if you grind your own, there tends to be little gritty bits in it – albeit the flavour is a bit better.
Best substitute for Sichuan pepper is white pepper.
Dried Chillies
Not all dried chillies are created equal and in fact, the same type of chillies can vary in spiciness throughout the year. So for dried chillies, always taste them and make a judgement call on how much you can handle! Most of the heat is in the seeds which are removed.
If you really don’t think you can handle any chilli at all, use them when cooking but don’t eat them. The chillies add flavour to to sauce so don’t skip them.
What does Kung Pao Sauce taste like?
Kung Pao sauce has a strong flavour that is sweet, sour, savoury and with the signature tingle of heat from Sichuan pepper. It’s glossy and thickened with cornstarch / cornflour, and because it has such a strong flavour, this stir fry has less sauce than other Chinese favourites like Cashew Chicken and Beef and Broccoli.
Here’s what goes in Kung Pao Sauce:
- Sichuan Pepper – described above
- Chinese Black Vinegar – described below
- Cornstarch / cornflour – to thicken the sauce
- – subs available
- Soy sauce, sugar and water
Chinese Black Vinegar
Looks like balsamic vinegar and, surprisingly, tastes vaguely like it. Available in Asian stores and costs only a couple of dollars for a big bottle. Be sure not to get Taiwanese or another Asian black vinegar (some taste completely different), make sure you get Chinese black vinegar (read the label!).
If you can’t find it, don’t worry, you can use rice wine vinegar, plain white vinegar or even balsamic vinegar. I’ve made Kung Pao Sauce so many times and tried it with each of these, and it’s actually quite similar.
Quick to cook
As with most stir fries, once you start cooking, things move quickly! It takes about 6 minutes to cook. So make sure you have all ingredients prepared and ready to toss in.
Key Tip: Cook the Kung Pao sauce down until it reduces to a syrupy consistency with quite an intense flavour. That’s the Kung Pao way!!
Phew! I don’t usually end up writing so much stuff about ingredients in a post! So I’m signing off here and handing over the recipe. Don’t forget the recipe video below! I think it’s especially useful to see the consistency of the sauce at the end – it should be thick and syrupy, and intense dark brown colour. Enjoy! – Nagi x
More Chinese takeout favourites
- Chow Mein
- Cashew Chicken
- Beef & Broccoli
- Chop Suey (Chicken Stir Fry)
- Spring Rolls
- Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu)
- See all Chinese recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb / 500g chicken thigh , cut into bite size pieces
Sauce
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 2)
- 1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 3)
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Note 4)
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Note 5)
- 3 tbsp sugar , any
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/3 cup water
Stir Fry
- 2 tbsp peanut oil (or other cooking oil)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tsp ginger , finely chopped
- 6 - 10 dried chillies (adjust to taste), cut into 2cm/ 3/4" pieces, most seeds discarded (Note 7)
- 3 green onions , cut into 2cm/ 3/4" pieces, white parts separated from green
- 1.5 tsp ground sichuan peppercorns , adjust to taste (Note 6)
- 3/4 cup whole peanuts (or 1/2 cup halved) , roasted unsalted
Instructions
Sauce & Marinade Chicken:
- Mix cornflour and soy sauce in a small bowl until cornflour is dissolved. Then mix in remaining Sauce ingredients EXCEPT water.
- Pour 1.5 tbsp Sauce over chicken. Toss to coat, set aside for 10 - 20 minutes.
- Add water into remaining Sauce.
Stir Fry:
- Heat oil in wok over high heat. Add garlic, ginger and chillies. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add chicken, cook until it turns white, then add the white part of the green onions. Cook until chicken is cooked through - about 2 minutes.
- Add Sauce and Sichuan pepper. Bring to simmer, mixing constantly, until almost all the sauce reduces to a thick syrup.
- Just before the end, mix through peanuts and green part of the green onions. Also check spiciness - add more Sichuan pepper if you can handle the heat!
- Serve immediately with rice - or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This Kung Pao Chicken recipe was original posted in April 2016. Recipe has been slightly modified so there’s a touch more sauce – by reader demand! 🙂
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I first tried your Kung Pao recipe many years ago when first published. I enjoyed it but thought it was a bit on the dry sauce …so truthfully don’t think I ever made it again ( not sure if that was because you have so many fabulous recipes here that Iso i never got around to it or because it just wasn’t one that I was dying to eat again). I made this new and improved versus after seeing it on your Instagram page. It’s to die for! I loved every last drop. I don’t remember what the flavors were before but this one was finger worthy ( you know when you use your fingers to slip up the last bit of liquid with nothing but fingers,).
I left out the scheuzian pepper corns mainly cause last time I tried using them in another recipe…it was a disaster and I had to wash my food cause it all tasted like dirt. When I am feeling adventurous I will try the sczechuan pepper corns again. But I am making this again tonight cause I’m dying to eat it again!
I have loved Kung Pao Chicken since I first had it, about 30 years ago. But alas, my stomach can no longer handle the heat. 🙁 Your recipe sounds really good.
In the seventies I was introduced to stir fry meals, I believe the name of the young woman was Joy Chen. She tenderized her chicken with 1 egg white combined with 1-2 tsp. of cornstarch whisked together until “bubbly” and then poured over prepared chicken pieces. Do this first and let sit while readying the other ingredients. Drain and stir-fry the chicken first, remove and then proceed with rest of the recipe, add the chicken back at the end. This tenderizes the meat and even leaves little crusty bits on the meat. It is quite good this way, but doesn’t work well for beef. I have enjoyed your postings and recipes since finding your site. The ones I have cooked are spot on and yummy.
Give the egg white a try and see what you think. xxx’s and ooo’s to you and special ones for the Dose.
I made this tonight… OMG it was unbelievable. Very easy to make, I used 3 chicken breasts and it was perfect. Next time I make it I will add the full teaspoon of peppercorns but will scale back the peanuts to 3/4 cup. Again my girlfriend loved it and now we are fighting over who gets to take the “one big serving” of leftovers to work for lunch tomorrow. Thanks again Nagi!
Great to hear Jeff! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
Tonight I made Kung Lao Chicken for the first time and I am amazed that I was able to cook an Asian Stir Fry without burning it or otherwise stuffing it up and it was delicious.
Thank you so much for educating my palate to the tastes and flavours of Asia.
That should be Kung Pao but auto correct has changed it.
My favorite version allows for more sauce because charred stir-fried green cabbage is added. The flavors are perfect together.
YUM! I love charred cabbage in stir fries! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi!
If I want to tenderise beef with bicarb, is it the same method? Need to rinse etc?
I thought I’d written down something from your beef me goreng recipe:
Tenderise beef:
1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarb soda), 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp soys sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp oil. Marinade for 30 minutes.. Is that yours? Would I rinse that?
Thanks so much!!
Hi Jax! Yep just do a straight switch of beef for the chicken for the tenderising!
Kappow Nagi this Kung Pao chicken recipe is a real keeper. I cannot believe that I cooked chicken that was so tender it virtually melted in your mouth. The flavours were amazing… next time around I am going to try to make extra sauce. But not sure if that would ruin the chicken. Like everything else of yours I have cooked we loved this dish.
Cheers
Hi Gail! Kung Pao is supposed to be a “dry” stir fry so it’s not bathed in sauce like others 🙂 I think if you double the sauce you may find that the flavour is too intense but I’d love to know what you think if you try it! N x
Hey Nagi, where can I find dried chillies? Just Woolies/Coles? I’ve never noticed it before. I’m planning on making this dish sometime this week 🙂
Hi Phyllis! I was sure they sold it in the Asian section nowadays??? Otherwise, are you in NSW or QLD?? If so, Harris Farms??
I live in melbourne 🙂 and I found some at an Asian grocer yay! Thanks Nagi, can’t wait to make this!
Whoot! Hope you love it!!
Great recipe. We just finished eating. I remember using the baking soda method earlier this year as well and found the taste overpowering, regardless of rinsing. Any suggestions on how to reduce the chemically taste without compromising the texture of the chicken?
I love your site and all of your postings on Instagram by the way…
Hi Jimmy! I use the baking soda method all the time and can definitely say I have never had the metallic taste problem. I did some research and read that if the baking soda is past its due date this can cause this problem. I’m glad you are enjoying my recipes! N x
Why did that go through twice? Does that prove that it is really only 2 serves.
The mysteries of technology Ann!!! How was your weekend??
It took a while but I eventually got around to cooking your Kung Pao Chicken, OMG!!! Loved it, the smoke is still coming out of my ears. Not sure where you got the idea that it is 4 serves because I have just demolished half of it! The rest I will have tomorrow as not too sure how it will freeze. Thank you, thank you, thank you
You made it!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Ann!!!! I hear you on serving sizes….I have the same problem…. I should have said “4 NORMAL servings”, hmm? I don’t think this will freeze well, stir fries usually don’t. Thanks so much for trying this Ann and coming back to share your feedback! N xx
Ps. I talked more about the velveting. I forgot to say the balance of flavours was PERFECT! And I know that’s not easy from my time trying. Too much vibegar throws it off. Too much hoisin or sugar makes it too sweet. Etc. so the balance in this recipe was perfect ??
❤️
Hi Nagi!
WOW WOW and WOW! Loved this recipe. I saw you had it up for ages and haven’t cooked it. I had been trying to be like you a while back and I kept cooing Kung pao chicken trying to perfect it. I thought I would never eat it again!!!! Ha ha ? I don’t know how you do it. So anyway I cooked this last night and it was perfect. And the velveting technique!!! BRILLIANT. I used to bash the chicken out between baking paper then cut it up and by the time I did all that I was a bit grossed out. This is a lovely clean neat method and the meat is very tender. I will use this method in many recipes now! so all in all brilliant. Thank you for the recipe!!
Jules ?????
YEE HA!!! I’m so glad you loved it Jules, THANK YOU for letting me know!!! N x
Hi Nagi
I made your Kung Poa Chicken for dinner last night and we loved it. Using the bi-carb is a great tip and made the chicken texture perfect, just like you would get in a good restaurant. This will become a regular in my house. The flavours are bold and punchy…..yum, yum, yum?
Thanks for another fabulous recipe.
I’m so glad you love this too Lisa! Thank you so much for letting me know! N x
I made the Kung Pao Chicken for tea tonight and we loved it will make again.
I bought the black vinegar and I used the black vinegar in the silver side as well and we both thought it was very nice.
Seeing what other recipes you have to use the dried chillies.
Cathy
Thanks for trying my recipe Cathy! I am so glad you enjoyed it!!! N x
Hi Nagi, I was wondering is malt vinegar the same as black vinegar, going to make it looks lovely, the other thing I have been meaning to ask is do you make your own stock?
Cathy
Hi Cathy! They are not quite the same but will be an adequate substitute if you can’t get black vinegar 🙂 I do make my own stock when I’m making an effort!!! Especially beef and vegetable stock – I find store bought is quite lacking for these two. Chicken stock is pretty good though!
Hi Nagi, I finally got around to making this dish and was not disappointed , not that I expect
to be with any of your recipes. Really tasty and will become a regular on the menu in my
kitchen, the baking powder worked brilliantly much better than cornflour!
WOO HOO! So glad you enjoyed this, thanks so much for trying me recipe Tricia! N x
Greetings Nagi, thank you such a great amount for the formula for Kung Pao Chicken! My hubby had it an eatery we at times go to and our customary one doesn’t serve it (however it makes a great chicken and peaches dish). This is his most loved dish now! Do you have a formula for the sesame/rice balls that have red bean glue in the center? My sibling and I cherish them and again just made at the other eatery. Keep up the immense formulas, if you don’t mind I cherish them.
Hi Rony! Did you try it?? 🙂 If not, I hope you do! I must say, I don’t have the sesame ball recipe, I know exactly what you mean though, I LOVE them! I might have to try to make it!
No worries! Hope you try it! 🙂