Making Kung Pao Chicken in my Kitchen - A Recipe

We try to take cooking classes when we can and especially when they have a two for one special. Cook's World in the University Village area of Seattle recently held such a special for a chinese cooking class. We probably never would have taken the class otherwise but I'm thrilled we did.

The recipes that we made in class were delicious and even better I've been able to recreate some of them successfully on my own. My favorite is the Kung Pao Chicken which I've been able to make for friends and family too. One of my friends even asked for the recipe which never happens!

You can make Kung Pao Chicken on the fly or if you're planning ahead you can take time to do the marinating and prep in advance.


Kung Pao Chicken

Chicken Velvetizing Marinade

- 1 Large egg

- 1 Tablespoon dry white wine or sherry (or apple juice/acidic liquid)

- 1 Teaspoon of kosher salt

- 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch

- 1 Pound of chicken breast cut into small 1/2 inch square pieces (the smaller the piece the more likely it will get tender especially with limited time)

Combine and whisk together all ingredients but the chicken. Add the chicken and stir it into the marinade making sure every piece is covered. Marinade over-night in the fridge covered or for 30 minutes on the counter-top uncovered.


Kung Pao Sauce

- 1 Cup of chicken broth

- 3 Tablespoons of hoison or oyster sauce

- 1-3 Teaspoons of hot sauce based on your heat tolerance

- 1 Teaspoon of cornstarch

Whisk all items together in a small bowl. I've let this sit in my fridge for most of the day and just re-whisked right before I needed to use it.


Stir-Fry and Bringing it All Together

- 3 Tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil

- 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

- 1 large red, yellow or orange pepper diced

- 3 to 6 cloves of garlic minced

- 1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger (easier to grate if it's been frozen I've found without losing any flavor)

- Marinaded chicken

- Kung pao sauce

Make sure to prep all of the ingredients above before you start cooking.

Heat the wok on medium-high (highly recommend to invest in a wok - $40-$50 for flat bottom/carbon steel) and once hot add 1.5 tablespoons of oil.

When the oil is hot add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add the marinaded chicken and cook until the chicken is half-way done. Then transfer the unfinished chicken to a plate for later.

Take the wok off of the heat and wipe out. Reheat the wok on medium-high and add the final 1.5 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot add the diced peppers and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Return the half-done chicken to the wok with the peppers and pour the kung pao sauce over everything. Stir-fry until the chicken is fully cooked.

When the chicken is just about done, mix in the chopped peanuts in the last 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat and serve. Don't forget to clean and care for your wok properly - instructions come with it.

This recipe makes 3 to 4 servings.


Optional Serving Ideas

- I like serving my kung pao chicken over asian noodles (you can also add the noodles into the stir-fry while it's cooking).

- Serve over sticky rice or other asian rice.

- Crispy asian noodles or deep-fried egg wrapper pieces are also a nice texture to add onto the top.

- Serve with a side of stir-fried asian vegetables with a touch of soy sauce.


This dish has a nice heat from the hot sauce and you can add as much or as little as you like to suit your taste buds. Or just have the hot sauce on the table for folks who like the heat to mix in more. The more you marinade the chicken the more tender or "velvety" the chicken will be. And the peanuts add a nice crunchy texture. Definitely a favorite now in our home.