Kung Pao Chicken
Ka Poooow!
That’s your face, planting into this Kung Pao chicken!
I know, here I go again with the Asian food. What can I say, it’s so flavorful, so delicious. Plus, you know, its got veggies and hot peppers to keep those colds away!
So a few things:
1. Why the heck has it been so cold here! I mean I hear some of you guys have been getting like 65 degree days! What the heck?!? Share some of the warmth and send it over to Colorado! I mean -18, that’s just not livable! Or likable.
2. So today it was sunny for like the first time in three days! I was jumping for joy, until I went to take pictures and suddenly a giant cloud formed. And did not go away, till like 4:15…….when the sun was setting. Clouds you are evil! Don’t you know I am a very important (not) food blogger who needs ample light for her photos?
3. So about these photo’s. What do you think? Do they make you want to grab a fork and dig in? Or if your cool, pick up those chopsticks? Or maybe it makes you want to learn how to properly use chopsticks? For me, chopsticks are a great idea that unfortunately, I execute very poorly! Seriously, how do you go about eating rice with those cute little sticks?
I am so lame.
Anyway, Kung Pao Chicken! It’s pretty fun to say right? I feel like I should be doing a ninja kick while saying it or something!
This one’s a crowd pleaser! Everyone who has tried this, which is adding up rather fast, has declared it better than take out! Picky eaters included (minus “what’s this red stuff”). Leftovers are awesome too. Just ask the two kids (whose names I don’t know) that I have been feeding lately when they return with my little brother after a day of riding. Their plates were licked clean. Literally, they did the work for the dishwasher!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Kung Pao Chicken
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: chicken
This classic asian dish is so flavorful, so delicious. Plus, you know, its got veggies and hot peppers to keep those colds away!
Ingredients
- Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bit size pieces
- Sauce:
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup dry cooking sherry
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 3 teaspoon sambal oelek red chili paste
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 2 red bell peppers julienned
- 2 inch green onion cut the white part into 1/2 - pieces, julienne the green parts
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts or cashews
Instructions
-
In a glass measuring cup or small bowl combine the rice wine, peanut oil, soy sauce, salt and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir in the chicken pieces and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
-
In a medium bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the chicken broth and cornstarch and whisk until the corn starch in completely dissolved. Add in the soy sauce, sherry, hoisin sauce, sambal olek (red chili paste), sugar, garlic and ginger. Set aside.
-
Over high heat, in a large skillet, bring the peanut oil to almost smoking temperature. Stir-fry the red bell pepper and the white part of the green onions for 3-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Return the skillet back to high heat, adding more peanut oil if needed. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4 to 8 minutes, until golden in color.
-
Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the peanuts. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened and is glossy about 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with julienne green onions.
-
Serve with steamed white rice.
Take that Thursday! Ka Pow!
Your photos are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am trying to improve them!
Hi, found you over at Semi Homemade’s link party. You are too funny. I’ve been freezing my butt off in UT at about -20 for the last few weeks. It did warm up yesterday for 3 minutes while the sun came out… but then the clouds got us too. I know what you mean about having that light for photos though. I’ve had the same problem. Your pictures look great though and I’m sure this Kung Pao Chicken is delish’. Thanks for sharing 🙂
cass-eats.blogspot.com
What a colorful, gorgeous and delicious meal! I’ve been craving chinese food like no other and haven’t given in because I’m trying to move away from all of the holiday indulgences I had to partake in…but making it at home is so much more healthy and I bet a world more tasty! Love it, going to try it!
Saw you at the Foodie Friday Linky Party. This looks amazing. I am definitely trying!
Hi Tieghan! You should be here now, the sun is shining so beautifully and it’s 50 degrees! I love living in the South! Great recipe! Thanks for sharing! Blessings from Bama!
It looks sooooo delicious! So colorful 🙂
Yummy! I’m going to try making this really soon!
That looks real good! I saw you linked up at Show Me Your Plaid Mondays! Following on pinterest now!
Beth @ The First Year Blog
Thanks so much for linking up to Show & Share Wednesday! This looks absolutely mouth watering, gorg photos too. I shared this on my Facebook page this afternoon! Hope you’re having a great Monday.
https://www.facebook.com/SemiHomemadeMom
Thank you so much for sharing this on facebook! Also, thank for the nice words on my photos! It is sometimes pretty hard!
Woot! Chinese food and it’s easy! My kids have been asking for Chinese food, and we can’t afford to do take out. Besides it’s so much better fresh! I’m going to include your recipe in my meal plan for next week which is on my other blog, frugallocalkitchen.com/blog/
This looks delicious! I’m pregnant right now, so my menu plans for the week keep coming up either majority Mexican food or more Asian. This sounds perfect and your photos are droolworthy!
Thank you and congratulations!
Looks SO good! Found you at Mrs. Happy Homemaker! 😀
We’ve been having some negative degree weather lately. Thankfully it seems to be on the rise. This kung pao chicken does look yummy. My kids love anything with rice, since I’ll let them use chopsticks to eat.
Definite face plant!! I love your photos (and recipes!) I think you should shoot photos for a magazine, or start your own!!!
AH, wow! Thank you! I am not sure my photos are that good! I try, some days are better than others.
Your photos and the food look delicious. Read thru the ingredients and am excited to try your recipe…Thanks for posting it.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Pinned it! Found you at Shabby Creek Cottage.
Thanks for pinning!
Just wanted to let you know you were featured on I Freakin did it Friday, I hope you come link up again today!
It looks sooo yummy!
Holy cow! That looks amazing. I am pinning this recipe for sure. Coming from Your Homebased Mom. Gonna have to look around your site now!
Thanks fo looking around!
This looks delicious!! Are the cooking sherry and the hoisin sauce in cups? I think you forgot to type something in. And I’m not familiar with Asian cooking to make a sure guess. Thanks
Sorry about that! Yes, they are in cups and I fixed the recipe, thank so much for letting me know! Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading!
Tieghan
Your post made me lol. Glad I am not the only one who thinks a karate kick should be required to say Kung Pao. This dish looks amazingly yummy!
I know right? Ka Pow! It is just so fun!
I made this for dinner yesterday, great recipe thanks for sharing.
Tried this recipe tonight for dinner. I followed the recipe exactly as written. It was so salty that I couldn’t eat it. I used low sodium soy sauce and low sodium chicken broth. I am wondering if the recipe should have less soy sauce in it….3/4 cup seems like a lot. Just wondering if anyone else thought it was too salty.
Hey JJ,
I am really sorry this was too salty for you. The 3/4 cup is correct, but maybe you are more sensitive to salt? Next time try using only 1/4 cup. My family loves salty, so maybe it’s a bit heavy for your taste. So sorry for the trouble! Tieghan 🙂
Hi, thanks for the tip. I’ll cut back as per tiegans’ Suggestion. I’ve also found you can’t use salted nuts in recipes like these. Can’t wait to try!
I hope you love this recipe Claire! Thank you! Let me know how it turns out ?
Oh so good, I made this tonight and we are every bite!
Amazing! Thank you Melissa! xTieghan
I meant we ate every bite.
Yummy. Made mine a bit too soupy but absolutely delicious. Well done!
Hey Natalie,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan