{"id":28332,"date":"2025-02-18T00:05:40","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T08:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/?p=28332"},"modified":"2025-02-17T21:13:22","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T05:13:22","slug":"better-takeout-no-peanut-kung-pao-chicken-stir-fry-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/better-takeout-no-peanut-kung-pao-chicken-stir-fry-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Better Than Takeout Kung Pao Chicken Recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kung pao chicken is so quick and easy to make at home it’ll be a weeknight dinner favorite in no time at all.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is kung pao chicken?<\/h2>\n

Kung pao chicken is a classic Chinese stir fry dish with diced chicken, dried chilis, and peanuts. It comes from the land of fire-y spicy hot Chinese food, Sichuan. It\u2019s also a really popular Americanized Chinese take out order. Everyone loves kung pao chicken with its tender bits of chicken and complex sauce of salty, sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors.<\/p>\n

This particular kung pao isn\u2019t quite the way it\u2019s made in Sichuan. In Sichuan, they classically dry fry it with just a touch of sauce. This kung pao is a saucy riff, more in the style of takeout American Chinese kung pao. The sauce makes it perfect for eating with rice.<\/p>\n

\"kung<\/picture><\/p>\n

How to make kung pao chicken<\/h2>\n

This stir fry comes together super quick and easy after you prep all of the ingredients. If you want do this faster than takeout will arrive at your door, prep everything before you start cooking.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. First off, make some rice.<\/strong> Unless you\u2019ve smart and have rice meal-prepped in your fridge. Then in that case, skip this step because you\u2019re already winning at life.<\/li>\n
  2. Cut up your chicken into bite sized pieces.<\/strong> Place them in a bowl with the marinade and set aside while your prep the sauce ingredients.<\/li>\n
  3. Prep the ginger and garlic.<\/strong> Whisk up all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Use a garlic press for the garlic and a ginger grater for the ginger. Both are huge time savers.<\/li>\n
  4. Time to cook!<\/strong> It\u2019ll take just a few minutes: cook the chicken, add the sauce, let it reduce a bit, and you\u2019re ready to eat.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"kung<\/picture><\/p>\n

    Kung pao sauce<\/h2>\n

    Kung pao sauce is a magic sauce that makes everything taste good! It\u2019s so delicious that they sell bottles of it at the store (there\u2019s even Panda Express kung pao sauce) but it\u2019s really easy to make at home and store in the fridge. From there you can add it to random clean out the fridge stir fries and boom, instant kung pao.<\/p>\n

    To make kung pao sauce, mix together 1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch, 1\/4 cup hoisin sauce, 1\/4 cup sambal oelek, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, 4 cloves minced garlic, and 1 tbsp grated ginger. Cook in a non stick sauce pan over medium heat, stirring until the sauce becomes thick and glossy. Let cool completely then pour into a clean container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, tightly covered. Add to stir fries during the last step, after everything has been cooked.<\/p>\n

    \"kung<\/picture><\/p>\n

    Kung pao chicken ingredients<\/h2>\n

    Most of the ingredients in this kung pao chicken can be found at your usual grocery store. You need chicken thighs, soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, sugar, garlic, ginger, scallions, and peanuts (or your nut of choice). The other handful of ingredients can be found at your friendly Asian grocery store, online, or in places like Whole Foods.<\/p>\n

    The hard to find stuff<\/h2>\n