Who needs takeout when you can make amazing tasting Kung Pao Chicken in your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal!Who needs takeout when you can make amazing Kung Pao Chicken from the comfort of your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal!
One of my favorite Chinese food entrees is Kung Pao Chicken. I almost always order it when we get take-out, or when I’m enjoying a meal at our favorite Chinese restaurant. What’s not to love? Chicken, roasted peanuts, and the little kick of heat my taste buds get when eating this dish.  I don’t know where this particular recipe originated, but I got it on a 3×5 card from my Dad about 25 years ago.

I recently found the recipe card and was feeling rather nostalgic and missing my Dad (he passed away 8 years ago – I miss him dearly!) He used to love finding new recipes, and always had fun taking a turn at cooking occasionally for my Mom, myself, and my two younger sisters. So I decided to make this dish, in honor of my amazing Dad.

This particular recipe is very easy to prepare and I it tastes GREAT! Who needs take-out when you can just make this recipe (4 servings) for a fraction of the price? Hope you enjoy this recipe for Kung Pao Chicken…I know I sure did… and  you can be certain I will be making this again! Here are a few pictures to show you the process:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Kung Pao Chicken

First, measure out the raw peanuts (no skins).

Kung Pao Chicken / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Toast the peanuts in a bit of oil in a skillet, stirring often, until golden brown (just a few minutes).

Raw peanuts to add to chicken are cooked in oil until golden brown.

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into small chunks.

Chicken breasts are cut into cubes to use in making kung pao chicken.

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Marinate the chicken cubes in this sauce for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. I usually use a large plastic resealable bag and pour sauce over chicken.

Marinade is mixed to coat chicken breast cubes with for kung pao chicken.

Put the dried red chili peppers on a cutting surface.

Dried red chili peppers are used in kung pao chicken.

Snip the stem end off of the peppers. Remove all the seeds (they are the HEAT packers). Cut the red chili peppers into 1/2 ” long pieces. Set aside (discard seeds!).

Seeds are separated from red chili peppers before cooking dish.

Mix together ingredients for seasoning sauce. Set aside.

Kung Pao seasoning sauce is mixed to add to chicken.

Cooking Kung Pao Chicken

Stir fry chicken in hot oil for a couple of minutes, until light golden brown, and cooked through. Remove chicken to paper towels to drain when done. Wipe skillet clean.

Chicken breast cubes are cooked in hot oil until golden brown.

Stir fry the red chili peppers until dark in color and blistered from the heat.

Red chili pepper slices are cooked for kung pao chicken.

Add fresh grated ginger to the darkened red chili pepper pieces.

Fresh minced ginger is added to skillet with chili peppers.

Building Layers Of Flavor

Add the cooked chicken back into skillet with the red chili peppers and ginger. Add the seasoning sauce to the skillet, and cook until the sauce thickens.

Chicken is cooked with kung pao seasoning sauce and chili peppers.

Add the toasted peanuts to the skillet, and cook until the kung pao chicken is heated through, and then this dish is ready to serve.

Toasted peanuts are added to kung pao chicken in skillet.

Garnish the kung pao chicken with sesame seeds and chopped green onion slices. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

Kung Pao Chicken is garnished with sesame seeds and green onions, and is served on rice.

It’s really not too hard at all to make this great kung pao chicken from the comfort of your own kitchen! Hope you will consider making this yummy dish! Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back soon.

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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Kung Pao Chicken
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Who needs takeout when you can make amazing Kung Pao Chicken from the comfort of your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: kung pao chicken
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 302 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound boneless chicken breasts (about 2 large)
  • 5-6 pieces dry red chili pepper
  • 1/2 cup raw peanuts (no skin)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger , minced
  • 1/4 cup , plus 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
For Marinade:
  • 1 egg white , lightly beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
For Seasoning Sauce:
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons cooking sherry
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For Garnish:) optional)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • green onion slices
Instructions
  1. Prepare marinade. Mix well in medium sized bowl.  Cut chicken into 1" cubes. Add to marinade. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes in refrigerator.

  2. On a cutting board, remove stem top and seeds from the dried red chili peppers. Discard stems and seeds. Use scissors to cut each chili pepper into 1/2" long pieces.
  3. Heat a large skillet. Add 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil. Stir fry raw peanuts until they are light brown. Remove from heat,, remove from skillet and let cool.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together ingredients for the Seasoning Sauce. Set aside.
  5. Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in skillet until very hot (but NOT smoking...). Add the chicken. Stir fry chicken for 2 minutes, then remove. Drain oil from skillet and wipe clean with paper towels.
  6. Add 2 Tablespoons oil back into the skillet. Add the dried red chili peppers and stir fry until they turn dark. Add the minced ginger and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Turn heat to high; add chicken back into skillet. Add the Seasoning Sauce, and cook until sauce has thickened and dish is heated through. Turn off heat. Remove skillet from stove. Add toasted peanuts to skillet. Mix to combine.

  7. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired. Serve Kung Pao Chicken on a bed of rice. ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts
Kung Pao Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 302 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 546mg24%
Potassium 589mg17%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 365IU7%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Who needs takeout when you can make amazing Kung Pao Chicken from the comfort of your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal!

 

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