Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Copycat Kung Pao Chicken is ready in less than one hour and has all of the flavors you would expect from Panda Express! The perfect recipe when you are craving takeout.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces (2 pounds)
- ¼ cup soy sauce divided
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or substitute with cooking sherry, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch divided
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil divided
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup mirin or rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more as needed
- 1 zucchini cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
- 3-4 green onions sliced
- 8-10 dried chiles chiles de árbol
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon sichuan peppercorns
- ½ cup peanuts
Instructions
Marinade Instructions:
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and place in a small bowl.
- Whisk together 1 tablespoon of soy sauce,1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine (or sherry), 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and the baking soda.
- Pour over the chicken pieces and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to marinate.
Sauce Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon wine/sherry, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, sugar, rice vinegar, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Cooking:
- Chop the vegetables and gather the seasonings so that everything is prepared before you start cooking.
- Drain the marinade from the chicken and discard.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add drained chicken and saute until browned on all sides and the meat is white and cooked all the way through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. You may need to cook chicken in batches so the chicken can cook in a single layer with space between each piece.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil to the skillet, along with the ginger, garlic, and peppercorns. Saute for 1-2 minutes until the garlic and ginger are fragrant.
- Add the bell peppers, zucchini, green onions (reserve some of the greens for garnish), and dried chili peppers. Saute for 1-2 additional minutes; keep the vegetables lightly cooked as we don’t want them to become soggy.
- Add the sauce mixture to the skillet, stirring and cooking until the sauce thickens. Add the chicken and peanuts to the pan and heat all ingredients through, tossing to coat the chicken and vegetables with the sauce.
- Garnish with reserved green onions and serve hot.
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Notes
Storage:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Notes: The chilies and peppercorns add spice to this dish. Saute them for longer (or prior to adding vegetables and other ingredients to the pan) if you really want to kick up the heat. You can substitute red chili paste or red pepper flakes if you can’t find peppercorns and/or dried chiles, but their distinctive flavors are a signature part of this dish. Unless you have a well-seasoned wok in your cooking supplies, I highly recommend using a nonstick skillet for this dish. This will allow you to brown the chicken without the marinade/coating sticking to the skillet. A deep golden brown on the chicken gives it great flavor and a lovely appearance. This is difficult to replicate in a stainless steel skillet or an unseasoned work.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Notes: The chilies and peppercorns add spice to this dish. Saute them for longer (or prior to adding vegetables and other ingredients to the pan) if you really want to kick up the heat. You can substitute red chili paste or red pepper flakes if you can’t find peppercorns and/or dried chiles, but their distinctive flavors are a signature part of this dish. Unless you have a well-seasoned wok in your cooking supplies, I highly recommend using a nonstick skillet for this dish. This will allow you to brown the chicken without the marinade/coating sticking to the skillet. A deep golden brown on the chicken gives it great flavor and a lovely appearance. This is difficult to replicate in a stainless steel skillet or an unseasoned work.
Nutrition
Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 1085mg | Potassium: 562mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 362IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
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