Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Kung Pao Chicken is a highly popular dish in daily life, primarily made with chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and seasoned with chili peppers, soy sauce, among other spices. It offers a deliciously fragrant and savory taste, making it a beloved choice. Today, I'll share with you how to make this dish.

To stir-fry perfect Kung Pao Chicken, it's crucial to understand the marination of the chicken and the selection of accompanying ingredients. As someone born and raised in China, I'll share with you the recipe and some techniques for this dish without holding anything back. Let's dive into the details of Kung Pao Chicken together!

1.About Kung Pao Chicken

Origin:

Kung Pao Chicken is a famous traditional dish known both in China and abroad. It is featured in various Chinese cuisines, including Shandong, Sichuan, and Guizhou cuisines. The ingredients and preparation methods of Kung Pao Chicken can differ among these culinary styles.

The dish originated from Shandong's sauce-braised diced chicken and Guizhou's spicy diced chicken. It was later refined and popularized by Ding Baozhen, a Qing Dynasty governor of Shandong and governor of Sichuan, creating a new dish—Kung Pao Chicken. This dish was also included in the imperial cuisine of Beijing. Over time, Kung Pao Chicken has spread internationally.

Ingredients:

Kung Pao Chicken primarily uses chicken as the main ingredient, complemented by peanuts and chili peppers. The dish is characterized by its bright red color, moderate spiciness, rich and aromatic flavor, and the tender-crisp texture of the chicken. The spicy and fresh taste of the chicken pairs perfectly with the crunchiness of the peanuts.

2.Differences in Kung Pao Chicken Preparation Among Sichuan, Shandong, and Guizhou Cuisines

As mentioned earlier, Kung Pao Chicken is featured in Sichuan, Shandong, and Guizhou cuisines in China. The preparation methods vary by region. Here are the differences:

Sichuan Cuisine Version:

Ingredients:Uses chicken breast, oil-fried peanuts, and dried chili peppers.

Flavor:Must have a spicy lychee-like flavor. The dried chili peppers are fried until fragrant, emphasizing a slightly burnt and spicy taste.

Shandong Cuisine Version:

Ingredients:Often uses chicken thigh meat. To enhance the texture of Kung Pao Chicken, Shandong cuisine adds diced bamboo shoots or water chestnuts.

Method:Similar to the Sichuan version, but it focuses more on quick, high-heat stir-frying to retain the tenderness of the chicken pieces.

Guizhou Cuisine Version:

Ingredients:Uses glutinous rice paste chili, different from the Sichuan and Shandong versions.

Flavor:The Guizhou version is spicy with a slight sweet and sour taste. Note the "sour" aspect, as the combination of spicy and sour is a key characteristic that distinguishes Guizhou cuisine from Sichuan cuisine.

3. What's in Kung Pao Chicken?

The ingredients for Kung Pao Chicken vary depending on the recipe. My version of Kung Pao Chicken follows the Sichuan style, using primary ingredients such as chicken breast, carrots, cucumbers, peanuts, and dried chili peppers. The seasonings include soy sauce, pepper powder, and oyster sauce.

Important Tip:The ingredients in Kung Pao Chicken are flexible and can be substituted. If you don't like carrots or cucumbers, you can replace them with your preferred vegetables.

4.How to Marinate the Chicken?

This Kung Pao Chicken recipe uses chicken breast, which can have a slight odor. Marinating the chicken not only removes this odor but also makes the meat tender and flavorful. Here's how to do it:

1. Clean the chicken breast and cut it into small pieces.

2. Add one tablespoon of cooking wine.

3. Add one tablespoon of pepper powder.

4. Mix in some cornstarch.

5. Stir everything together and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes.

5.How to Fry Raw Peanuts to a Crispy Texture?

Peanuts are an essential ingredient in making Kung Pao Chicken. You can buy pre-cooked peanuts, but if you prefer to fry them yourself, here's how:

1. Wash the raw peanuts with clean water and dry them thoroughly.

2. Place the peanuts and peanut oil together in a pan.

3. Turn on the heat to low and begin to stir-fry.

4. Keep the heat low and stir constantly until the peanuts feel crispy.

5. When the peanuts deepen in color and make a crisp sound, taste one to check. If it’s crispy, they are ready.

6. What to Pair with Kung Pao Chicken?

In China, people commonly pair Kung Pao Chicken with rice. This is the most traditional and popular combination, as the tender meat and rich sauce of Kung Pao Chicken blend perfectly with the rice for an excellent taste experience. Besides rice, people also enjoy Kung Pao Chicken with steamed buns, dumplings, or noodles.

7.How to Store Kung Pao Chicken?

Kung Pao Chicken is best enjoyed fresh, right after it's made, as this is when the flavor and texture are at their peak. Once it cools down, the taste may not be as good. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator. This way, Kung Pao Chicken can be kept for 1-2 days.

Having shared so much about Kung Pao Chicken, I hope you now have a better understanding of how to make this delicious dish and the key tips to keep in mind while preparing it. Now, let's follow the steps below to try making this tasty Kung Pao Chicken together!