Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Kung Pao Chicken, one of the most iconic dishes of Chinese cuisine, or by its original name Gong Bao Ji Ding, is named after Ding Baozhen, a governor who lived during the Qing Dynasty. “Kung Pao” was Ding’s title, and the dish was named in his honor. In other words, its literal meaning is “Governor Ding’s Chicken.” It was first created in the Sichuan region, and thanks to the famous “Sichuan peppercorn,” the original version is not only quite spicy but also leaves a pleasant tingling sensation on the tongue. The version known around the world today, however, is much milder than the traditional recipe.
Why did I wait so long?
I’ve actually wanted to share the Kung Pao recipe for a very long time, but every time I tried, ingredients like “dark soy sauce,” “oyster sauce,” and “dark vinegar” discouraged me. I’m not a fan of buying a whole new set of ingredients just for one dish—especially if they’re destined to be forgotten in the back of a cupboard. But a few days ago, one of my readers mentioned that she had tried a cauliflower version of this dish during a trip to the Far East and loved it so much she wanted to recreate it at home. That finally gave me the push I needed. Of course, I had to start by sharing the original recipe.
To avoid unnecessary ingredient purchases, I decided to allow myself to buy only one of the three special sauces used in the recipe. The Asian market in my neighborhood had oyster sauce and dark vinegar. When I checked the label, I realized that dark vinegar is basically rice vinegar produced with a slightly different method. So I happily went with regular rice vinegar. I did buy the oyster sauce out of curiosity, but it turned out to be a complete disappointment for me. I expected a hint of seafood flavor, but instead, it tasted more like salty molasses. If I had known that beforehand, I wouldn’t have bought it. So if you’re like me and don’t have these special sauces on hand, you can absolutely skip them. But if you do have them, they’ll certainly add depth of flavor.
What can you use instead of dark soy sauce?
Dark soy sauce is thicker, more caramelized in flavor, and adds a deep color to the dish. Here are some alternatives you can use:
2 tablespoons regular soy sauce + ½ teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce + 1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon soy sauce + a few drops of balsamic vinegar
These substitutes may not be exact matches, but they’ll do the job in terms of color and flavor depth. In my version, I simply increased the amounts of brown sugar and soy sauce a bit more generously, and it worked out perfectly.
Cooking tips
Cook the chicken over high heat. This ensures that the outside gets beautifully browned while the inside stays tender.
Don’t overcook the peppers and onions. Keeping them slightly crisp adds freshness and textural contrast.
Add the peanuts at the very end so they stay crunchy.
You can adjust or omit the chili peppers according to your taste, but I recommend using at least a little to stay true to the original recipe.
Wait for the sauce to thicken properly. It should coat all the ingredients well. If the cornstarch doesn’t cook fully, it can leave a slightly chalky taste and texture.
Finally, I’d like to touch on something. If dishes like sweet and spicy chicken, General Tso’s chicken, or pad thai never quite turn out like the restaurant versions when you make them at home, there are two main reasons for that.
The first is the amount of oil. Restaurants, especially when it comes to saucy Asian dishes, use a lot of it. The oil added at the beginning is rarely enough; more is often added during cooking, and sometimes even drizzled over the dish after serving. Naturally, using less oil at home changes both the flavor and texture a bit.
The second reason is MSG. Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer often used in Asian cuisine to amplify the so-called fifth taste, “umami.” It also occurs naturally in foods like tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and mushrooms. That distinctive balance of sweet, salty, and savory flavors that you associate with Chinese food is usually thanks to MSG. Since MSG is quite controversial in terms of health effects, I personally don’t recommend using it regularly. I’d rather sacrifice a bit of flavor than risk my health.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken breast,
- 1 green pepper,
- 1 red pepper,
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger,
- 5–6 stalks green onion,
- 5–6 dried red chili peppers,
- A handful of unsalted peanuts,
- 1 tsp cornstarch,
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (or black rice vinegar if available),
- 4 tbsp soy sauce,
- 5 tbsp olive oil.
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp brown sugar,
- 1 tsp cornstarch,
- 4 tbsp rice vinegar (or black rice vinegar if available),
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce (or 1 tbsp molasses + 1 tsp soy sauce),
- 4 tbsp soy sauce.
Preparation
- Dice the chicken into cubes and place in a bowl,
- Add the cornstarch, soy sauce, and rice vinegar and mix well,
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the chicken over high heat, stirring constantly until browned,
- Add the diced peppers and the white parts of the green onions and stir-fry for a few more minutes over high heat,
- In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients,
- Add the sauce and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and coats everything,
- Finally, add the chili peppers, peanuts, and the green parts of the onions, toss everything together, and remove from heat,
- Serve with steamed rice.
Enjoy your meal!