Healthy Kung Pao Chicken recipe

Healthy Kung Pao Chicken - This classic Chinese stir-fry recipe is made with chicken, peanuts, vegetables, chili peppers & delicious homemade Kung Pao Sauce. Let's make a healthier version of this popular Chinese takeout at home. This one-pan recipe can be made at home easily within 30 minutes. Serve it with steamed rice.

Kung pao chicken is a spicy chicken stir-fry dish made with chicken stir-fried in sweet, spicy, and savory Kung Pao sauce. It is basically a dry chicken stir-fry dish. It means there is less sauce in this stir-fry recipe.

But the flavor of the sauce is so intense that you don’t need a lot of sauce. You are definitely going to enjoy every bite of it.

About this recipe

This classic chicken dish is originated in the Sichuan Province of southwestern China. It is also known as Gong Bao Chicken or Kung Po Chicken.

In this recipe post, I am sharing how to make healthy Kung Pao Chicken. Diced chicken is stir-fried with ginger, garlic, whole dried red chilies, vegetables, peanuts & Kung pao sauce.

To make it healthier, we will add vegetables to it. If you want to make it even healthier then substitute soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.

I have substituted some of the complex ingredients with simple ingredients that are easily available. But believe me, there is no compromise on flavor. It tastes equally delicious.

You may also like these other popular chicken recipes from this website:

• Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
• Lemon Garlic Chicken
• Chicken Shashlik
• Chicken Nuggets
• Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Why you need this recipe

• Easy step-by-step instructions with a recipe video.
• Healthy - Compared to Chinese takeout you can prepare it at home with less oil. We have added vegetables to make it healthier.
• You can make it quickly within 30 minutes.
• Made with simple ingredients easily available in the kitchen pantry. See the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
• Make-ahead recipe - You can make it ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• One-pan recipe - Fewer dishes to go and easy to clean up.
• Homemade Kung Pao Sauce - You can make it at home quickly within 5 minutes. The recipe is shared in this post.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chicken - I have used boneless skinless chicken breast cut into cubes. Chicken breasts are a good source of lean protein.
• Sichuan peppercorns - To make authentic Kung Po Chicken use Sichuan pepper. It provides a slight numbing kick to the chicken dish. You can purchase it online from amazon. To substitute, use freshly ground black pepper and coriander seeds.
• Dried Red Chilies - You can use any dried red chilies. Always deseed them & then use them. But the spiciness of red chilies varies. So, add it as per your taste.
• Ginger, garlic & spring onion - Basics of Asian cuisine.
• Vegetables - I have used red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and onions. You can add any vegetables of your choice. You can add carrots or broccoli.
• Peanuts (Unsalted & roasted) - The dish is a classic combination of chicken & peanuts. But if you want to substitute peanuts then use cashews.
• Cornflour/Cornstarch - It helps to thicken the sauce and is gluten-free. To substitute you can use tapioca starch.               
• Sesame oil - Gives the best flavor to the stir-fry. You can substitute it with olive oil or any cooking oil you have.
• Salt - Add as per taste.
• Chicken broth (or water) - Chicken broth increases the flavor of the dish. However, you can substitute it with water. You can add one chicken bouillon cube to the water, to make it flavorful.
• Rice vinegar - You can substitute it with white wine vinegar.
• Soy sauce (Both light & dark) - Light soy sauce gives a salty flavor to the dish. Dark soy sauce has more depth of flavors & will provide a dark brown color to the dish (the same that we get in Chinese takeout). You can substitute dark soy sauce with regular soy sauce. It is good to buy low sodium soy sauce. To substitute, add Tamari or Coconut Aminos.
• Brown sugar - Optional. It balances the spicy & tangy flavor. You can substitute it with white sugar or honey.
• Shaoxing wine - To substitute, use Mirin or dry sherry. Skip if you do not have it.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

Step by step instructions with photos

Preparations - Making Kung Pao Sauce

• For making the sauce - In a small bowl, combine chicken broth, Sichuan peppercorns, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Keep it aside.
• Marinate the chicken with 4 tablespoon of the kung pao sauce. Cover and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

  

For making Healthy Kung Pao Chicken   

• Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat.
• Add the chicken and let it cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Stir and cook the chicken until it is cooked. Do not overcook the chicken.
• Remove it to a plate. Keep it covered.
• In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.
• Add ginger, garlic, dried red chilies, and spring onion whites. Stir fry it for 30 seconds.
• Next, add red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and onions.

  

• Stir and cook it for 4-5 minutes.
• Re-whisk the kung pao sauce and pour it into the pan.
• Cook until the sauce thickens. If the sauce is too thick, you can add 2-3 tablespoon water and stir.
• Add the chicken back to the pan and combine it with the sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Add the peanuts and green onions.
• Serve it with steamed rice.

  

Tips to make the best Kung Pao Chicken

• Dried red chilies - Before adding dried red chilies always deseed them. It reduces the spiciness of the red chilies. Red chilies differ in spiciness so add them according to taste.
• Cut the chicken breast uniformly - It ensures that all the chicken pieces are cooked evenly.
• Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or more. The longer it marinates the better it tastes. Transfer it to an airtight container & keep it in the refrigerator to marinate for more than 30 minutes.
• Use roasted peanuts - It’s better to pre-roast the peanuts separately & then add them to the stir-fry.
• Stir-fry the chicken on medium-high heat. It will make the chicken crispy outside and keep it nice and juicy inside.
• Before adding sauce to the pan, give it a quick stir. The cornstarch in the sauce settles at the bottom.
• After adding the sauce, stir it continuously until the sauce thickens. If the sauce is too thick, add some water and stir.

FAQs

Serving Suggestion

• Serve it with steamed rice or fried rice. To make a healthier option serve it with brown rice or quinoa.

Storage Suggestion

• Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2-3 days. Reheat and serve.
• Store the leftovers within 2 hours of preparing the dish.
• For longer shelf life, you can store it in the freezer. Stays good for a month.

Variations that you can try

• Add veggies - Add some carrots or broccoli while stir-frying it.
• Make it with King prawns - Kung pao prawns taste equally delicious.
• Make it vegetarian - A vegetarian version can be made with Tofu.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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