Sichuan home cooking
Kung Pao Chicken
Velvety chicken, a balanced pre-mixed sauce, and peanuts added at the last moment for crunch.
Difficulty: Moderate · Total time: 30 minutes · Serves: 3 · Published: 2026-10-03
Ingredients
- boneless skinless chicken thigh — 350 g
- roasted peanuts — 60 g
- scallions — 60 g
- dried chilies — 8 g
- Sichuan peppercorns — 2 g
- light soy sauce — 20 ml
- rice vinegar — 20 ml
- sugar — 15 g
- cornstarch — 10 g
- Shaoxing wine — 10 ml
- neutral oil — 25 ml
Preparation
- Cut the chicken into 1.5 cm cubes; mix with 10 ml soy, wine, and 5 g cornstarch. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Mix the remaining soy, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, and 30 ml water. Cut the scallions into short lengths.
Method
1. Stir-fry the chicken
Heat the oil, spread the chicken in one layer, leave it for 20 seconds, then stir-fry until cooked; remove.
- Heat
- Medium-high
- Time
- 3–4 minutes
- Ready when
- Lightly browned, opaque at the thickest point, and 74°C in the center.
2. Bloom the aromatics
Lower the heat and add chilies and peppercorns. Add scallions as soon as they smell fragrant.
- Heat
- Medium-low
- Time
- 20–30 seconds
- Ready when
- The chilies deepen in color without turning black.
3. Glaze and finish
Return the chicken. Stir the sauce and pour it around the wok; toss over high heat and add peanuts at the very end.
- Heat
- High
- Time
- 40–60 seconds
- Ready when
- A shiny glaze coats the chicken and little free liquid remains.
Tips for success
- Evenly sized chicken cubes cook at the same rate.
- Add peanuts at the end so they stay crisp.
Common mistakes
- An overly wet marinade steams the chicken instead of searing it.
- Unstirred sauce leaves the cornstarch at the bottom of the bowl.
Storage
- Refrigerate for up to 2 days; the peanuts soften over time.
- Reheat chicken gently until hot and add fresh peanuts before serving.