Recipes

Kung Pao Chicken: Spicy and Sticky

Published

Chicken and vegetable stir fry cooking in a wok on the hob

Diced chicken, peanuts and dried chillies in a sticky, sharp sauce. Ready faster than a takeaway delivery.

Kung pao chicken

  • 500 g chicken thigh, diced
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 6 to 8 dried red chillies
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 thumb ginger, sliced
  • 80 g roasted peanuts
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy, 1 tbsp black vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 spring onions, sliced
  1. Toss the diced chicken in the cornflour.
  2. Mix the soy sauces, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl, this is the sauce.
  3. Fry the chicken in hot oil until browned and cooked through, then set aside.
  4. Fry the dried chillies, garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Return the chicken to the pan, add the sauce and peanuts, and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy.
  6. Scatter with spring onion and serve with rice.
Main Course
Chinese

What is kung pao chicken?

Kung pao chicken (gong bao ji ding) is a Sichuan stir fry of diced chicken, dried red chillies, Sichuan pepper and roasted peanuts in a glossy sauce that is sweet, sour, salty and spicy all at once. This mix of flavours is known in Sichuan cooking as lychee flavour.

The dish is named after Ding Baozhen, a Qing dynasty governor whose official title was Gongbao.

Ingredient notes and UK swaps

  • Chicken: boneless thigh diced into small cubes stays juicy.
  • Dried chillies: whole dried red chillies, snipped in half. They flavour the oil and are not meant to be eaten.
  • Sichuan peppercorns: give the tingling, numbing feeling. Toast them lightly first.
  • Chinkiang black vinegar: gives the sour note. Balsamic vinegar is a rough swap.
  • Peanuts: roasted, unsalted peanuts added at the end so they stay crunchy.

Serving and storing

Serve with plain rice and a simple green vegetable. Leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge, though the peanuts soften. Reheat in a hot pan until piping hot.

Tips for the best kung pao

  • Cornflour on the chicken keeps it juicy and helps the sauce cling.
  • Toast the peanuts if they are not already roasted, it makes a real difference.
  • Adjust the dried chillies up or down for a milder or hotter dish.

Balancing sweet, sour and spicy

Kung pao’s sauce should hit all three notes at once, taste before serving and adjust with a touch more vinegar for sourness or sugar for sweetness, the peanuts and dried chillies are added at the end so they keep their crunch rather than softening in the sauce.

Adjusting the numbing heat

Dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns are both easy to scale up or down, remove the chilli seeds for less heat while keeping the flavour, or toast fresh peppercorns for a stronger numbing effect.

FAQ

Is kung pao chicken very spicy?

It can be, though most of the heat sits in the dried chillies rather than the sauce, so leave them whole and out if you prefer it milder.

Can you use chicken breast instead of thigh?

Yes, though thigh stays juicier over high heat. If using breast, cut it slightly larger and do not overcook it.

Can I make kung pao with tofu?

Yes. Use firm tofu cut into cubes and fried until golden before adding the sauce.