Spicy, savory, and slightly sweet, add a burst of flavor and some excitement to your dinner table with this Kung Pao Chicken recipe! With tender chicken, crunchy vegetables, and roasted peanuts in an addictively yummy sauce, it’s a dish that’s sure to become a favorite in your household!
Kung pao chicken and General Tso’s chicken are similar in that they are both chicken-based dishes with a hint of chili, but the primary difference is that latter is deep-fried and coated with a syrupy sweet and sour sauce, and the former is coated with a gentle, more balanced sauce.
How To Make Kung Pao Chicken
This Chinese favorite is not only delicious but also surprisingly easy to prepare. With a handful of ingredients and a skillet, you can whip this dish together in just 30 minutes!
Start by tossing the chicken cubes together with the cornstarch in a large bowl until they are well-coated. Then set the chicken aside for 10 minutes to allow the cornstarch to adhere to the chicken, which will create a crispy texture when stir-fried.
Next, whisk the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, minced garlic, minced ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. It’s important to make sure all the sauce ingredients are fully incorporated and that there are no lumps of cornstarch.
Why You’ll Love Kung Pao Chicken
- Quick and Easy! You don’t need to be a chef to make tasty food. In just a few very simple steps even novice cooks can whip this easy Kung Pao chicken recipe together in just 30 minutes.
- Authentic Flavor! With tender stir-fried chicken and crisp veggies in a perfectly balanced spicy sweet sauce, this recipe captures the authentic flavor of Kung Pao chicken.
- Versatile Dish! It’s super easy to customize this recipe to your taste by adjusting the level of spice or using other proteins. You can easily swap the chicken out for shrimp or pork.
- Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Cornstarch: Used to coat the chicken, cornstarch creates a crispy layer.
- Vegetable Oil: Needed for stir-frying. Any flavorless vegetable oil will work.
- Dried Red Chilies: Adds a layer of fiery heat and depth. You can omit the chili peppers to make the dish less spicy.
- Green Bell Pepper: Provides some freshness and crunch. You can use any color bell pepper you have on hand.
- Zucchini: Adds some more texture and nutritional value.
- Roasted Peanuts: Bring a satisfying crunch and a hint of nuttiness to every bite.
- Green Onions: Provide a refreshing, mildly oniony flavor and a pop of bright green color.
- Soy Sauce: As the base of the sauce, it infuses the dish with savory depth that enhances the overall flavor profile. You can use tamari to make the dish gluten-free.
- Hoisin Sauce: Adds some sweetness and a hint of complexity to the sauce, which helps to balance the spiciness.
- Rice Vinegar: Provides a touch of gentle acidity that brightens the dish and complements the other ingredients.
- Sugar: Adds a subtle sweetness to round out the saltiness.
- Cornstarch: Used to thicken the sauce and create a glossy texture that coats the ingredients.
- Garlic: Brings a robust, aromatic depth to the dish. Always use freshly minced garlic cloves.
- Ginger: Adds a fragrant, slightly spicy kick! A fresh knob of ginger will provide the best flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Provide an additional layer of spiciness. Feel free to use as much or as little as you like based on your taste.
1 Dollar Kung Pao Chicken | But Cheaper
FAQ
What is the difference between kung pao and General Tso?
What is another name for General Tso Chicken?
What is the closest thing to General Tso Chicken?
What is another name for kung pao chicken?
What is the difference between Kung Pao chicken and General Tso’s chicken?
General Tso’s chicken and kung pao chicken are both chicken-based dishes with a hint of chili, but the primary distinction between the two is that General Tso’s chicken is deep-fried and coated with a syrupy sweet and sour sauce, whereas kung pao chicken is coated with a gentler, more well-balanced sauce.
What is the difference between General Tso and Kung Pao?
Additionally, General Tso is made out of deep-fried, crispy chicken pieces, while Kung Pao uses not breaded pieces that are just stir-fried. Kung Pao is also well-known for containing peanuts, but no peanuts can be found in General Tso chicken.
What is the difference between kung pao sauce and General Tso sauce?
But the sauces are where the biggest differences come through. General Tso’s sauce is made by combining soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and cornstarch. It has a glossy, sticky texture with sweet and salty flavor. Kung pao sauce is mixed from soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, and chili oil.
What is General Tso chicken?
Arguably, it can even be said that General Tso chicken is the absolute most popular dish in Asian bistros throughout the United States. It is made out of fried pieces of chicken in crispy breading that is then mixed with white rice and a signature sauce that gives the meal its beloved sweet flavor with spicy undertones. What is Kung Pao?