- Prep time20 mins
- Cook time10 mins
- Servings4
- DifficultyMedium
- CategoryChinese
Kung pao is a study in contrasts: fiery dried chilies against sweet glaze, crunchy peanuts against tender chicken, sharp vinegar against caramelized sugar. The chilies are toasted in oil first to perfume it — take them to the edge of smoking but never to burning, because burnt chili turns the whole dish bitter. Everything cooks in under ten minutes, so the sauce must be mixed before the wok heats.
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.3 lb) chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tsp cornstarch (for marinade)
- For the sauce: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp black vinegar, 1 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp cornstarch, 3 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 8 to 10 dried red chilies
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1-inch ginger, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- 4 spring onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Method
- Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and cornstarch; rest 15 minutes. Stir the sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
- Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns; toss 30 seconds until fragrant and darkened.
- Add the garlic and ginger, then the chicken. Spread into a single layer and sear 3 to 4 minutes without moving, until caramelized.
- Add the bell pepper and toss 2 minutes.
- Pour in the sauce; it will thicken almost immediately into a glaze. Toss to coat everything.
- Add the peanuts and spring onions, toss 30 seconds, and serve over steamed rice.
Tips for success
- Toast the chilies to fragrant, not black — bitter chilies ruin the dish.
- Chicken thighs stay juicy; breast dries out in this fierce heat.
- Have the sauce mixed before you start — there is no time to measure mid-stir-fry.
Watch video tutorial
Prefer to watch it being made? This from Spice Eats walkthrough covers the same kung pao chicken step by step — the spoken narration doubles as an audio tutorial.