Kung Pao Chicken
Juicy pieces of chicken, peppers, and roasted cashews are stir-fried in a slightly spicy sauce in this Kung Pao Chicken recipe. Ready in 20 minutes, it's easier & faster than ordering takeout!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 355kcal
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon cooking sherry
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast diced into 1-inch pieces
Sauce:
- 1 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoons corn starch
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 dried red peppers pods cut into large pieces; you can find these in the produce section with other dried items.
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup water
Stir Fry:
- 2 tablespoons or more of vegetable oil for frying
- ½ large red bell pepper cut into 1-inch-long pieces
- ½ large green pepper cut into 1-inch-long pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/3 cup roasted cashews roughly chopped
- Scallions sliced optional for garnish
- Sesame seeds optional for garnish
- White rice for serving with stir fry.
Instructions
- Add the marinade ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the chicken pieces, toss to thoroughly coat, cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In a separate medium bowl, add the sauce ingredients and whisk to thoroughly combine.
- Set it aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add one Tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the pan.
- Add the peppers and salt. Cool until browned and slightly softened. Remove the peppers to a separate bowl and set aside.
- Add ½ Tablespoon of oil to the same pan and add ½ of the chicken to prevent crowding. Cook until the bottom is brown then flip to cook the other side. Cook until cooked through so that the largest piece reaches 165 degrees. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
- Repeat the process with the other half of the chicken.
- Add ½ Tablespoon of oil and add the garlic. Cook until fragrant.
- Add the vegetables and chicken to the same pan and stir to heat through. Add the nuts and sauce and stir to combine.
- Serve over white rice and top with additional cashews, sliced scallions and/or a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Nutrition
Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1442mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 646IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg