Name: Kung Pao Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 300 g boneless chicken thigh, cut into 2 cm cubes; 40 g roasted unsalted peanuts; 2 pieces scallions, cut into short sections; 2 pieces garlic cloves, sliced; 10 g fresh ginger, minced; 3 pieces dried chillies (optional), cut in half; 2 tbsp light soy sauce, divided; 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar; 2 tsp sugar; 2 tsp cornstarch, divided; 3 tbsp water; 2 tbsp neutral oil

Let’s get cooking

01
Prepare chicken and sauce
Mix chicken with half the soy sauce and half the cornstarch. In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining soy sauce and cornstarch, vinegar, sugar, and water.
02
Cook the chicken
Heat oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken in one layer, working in batches if needed. Turn and cook until almost done, about 5–7 minutes.
03
Add the aromatics
Lower to medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, scallions, and optional chillies. Stir for about 1 minute; do not let the chillies blacken.
04
Coat and finish
Stir the sauce again and pour into the pan. Simmer and toss until it thickens and chicken reaches 74°C / 165°F. Fold in peanuts and serve with rice.

A little kitchen wisdom

Have the sauce mixed before you start cooking. A wide frying pan is fine; leave space around the chicken so it cooks evenly.

Can’t find an ingredient?

Black vinegar: Rice vinegar gives a lighter flavour; start with 2 tsp and adjust the sauce to taste.

Peanuts: Omit them if you cannot eat peanuts. Other nuts are not automatically safe for a nut allergy.

Cook safely

Chicken must reach 74°C / 165°F in its thickest pieces.

FoodSafety.gov guidance ↗

Kung Pao Chicken

Let’s get cooking

Prepare chicken and sauce

Cook the chicken

Add the aromatics

Coat and finish

A little kitchen wisdom

Can’t find an ingredient?

Cook safely

Something else for the table

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Everyday Egg Fried Rice

Pork & Cabbage Dumplings