Believe it or not, Panda Express hasn’t really made it over to the UK, but I’ve paid the place a fair few visits on holidays to the US, and love their Kung Pao chicken. My version involves making a marinade – a third of which is used to marinade the chicken. The remaining two-thirds is added at the end along with the vegetables and reduced down to get a thick sauce with loads of flavour. I love to make extra kung pao chicken that i’ll quickly cool, cover and refrigerate. It tastes great served cold with some couscous/quinoa/bulgur wheat and salad and should last 2 days in the fridge - which makes it a great option for meal prep.
How to make Kung Pao Chicken:
First mix up rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, white pepper, garlic, ginger, sugar and sechuan peppers:
Then pour a third of this mixture over chopped chicken that’s been coated in a little cornflour/cornstarch. Place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile dry-fry some chilli peppers over a high heat until lightly charred. You can use whole sichuan peppers, arbol chillies or even Bird’s Eye/Thai chillies to get the good kick of heat. Once cooked, remove them from the wok.
Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon (discard any leftover chicken marinade) and fry the chicken in a little hot oil in a hot wok for about 7-8 minutes until cooked. Then add in chopped bell peppers and courgette (zucchini).
After the veggies have cooked for a couple of minutes, add the reserved marinade and bring to the boil. Simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken, then add in some peanuts (or in my cash cashews) and those whole chillies right at the end. Serve with a big pile of boiled rice, or Fried Rice.
The question from me to you is – do you eat the chillies? Or leave them on the side of your plate? Let us know in the comments below. The last time I made this I left them, because they just looked so hot and scary! Chris took a large bite of one, and I’ve never seen him down a pint of water so fast! Ha ha – and he generally likes his spicy food. If you like, you can snip the chillies a couple of times when they’re in the pan – so they release a bit of the heat into the dish, without you having to lose the functionality of your taste buds for the next 24 hours….
Can I make Kung Pao Chicken gluten free?
Yes, swap the soy sauce for tamari and the rice wine for a splash of sherry. Also, use gluten free hoisin sauce. <–affiliate link. Always check the label to ensure it’s gluten free!
Can I make it ahead?
I find it tastes better when made fresh, as the vegetables retain a nice crunch. However, if you have leftovers, you can quickly cool, cover and freeze. Then defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave until piping hot throughout (give it a good stir a couple of times when reheating).
Can you make a Vegetarian version of Kung Pao Chicken?
You could use quorn, mushrooms or tofu for a vegetarian alternative. Check that your hoisin sauce brand is vegetarian too (most are, but it’s best to be sure).
Kung Pao Chicken Video
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The Kung Pao Chicken Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in May 2015. Updated in November 2018 with new photos, process photos, recipe video and recipe tips. Updated in Oct 2019 for housekeeping and with additional tips. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
