Nontraditional Kung Pao Chicken

Name: Nontraditional Kung Pao Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Ingredients: 1 cup (190 g) brown rice; 1 tsp (5 g) chicken bouillon powder; 2 cups (480 g) water; 2 tsp (10 g) sesame oil, or extra virgin olive oil; 2 lb (908 g) yellow squash; 1 tsp (6 g) salt; 1 tsp (3 g) black pepper; 1 small head garlic, fine dice; 1 oz (28 g) fresh ginger, fine dice; 1/2 cup (60 g) peanuts, dry roasted, salted, chopped; 2 lbs (908 g) boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed; 1 tsp (5 g) sesame oil, or extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup (60 g) low sodium soy sauce; 2 tbsp (30 g) balsamic vinegar; 2 tbsp (30 g) white vinegar; 2 tbsp (36 g) gochujang; 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) liquid monk fruit; 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch

7 steps

Prep:20minCook:40min

Here's my take on a healthy Kung Pao Chicken. It avoids directly adding in any sugar or honey, and doesn't use sugary sauces like hoisin and sriracha. It's mildly sweet from the gochujang and monk fruit, while being bulked up with yellow squash. I'm using less oil than traditional here, and I've paired it with a side of healthier brown rice instead of white rice. Top it with chopped peanuts, and you're sure to love this twist on the classic dish

Updated at: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:49:20 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories447.5 kcal (22%)

Total Fat13 g (19%)

Carbs39.7 g (15%)

Sugars7.8 g (9%)

Protein41.9 g (84%)

Sodium1037.8 mg (52%)

Fiber3.8 g (13%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

6 servings

Instructions

Step 1

Add rice, chicken bouillon, and water to a medium pot. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Lower to medium, cover, and let simmer for about 30 minutes, until all water is absorbed

brown rice1 cup

chicken bouillon powder5g

water480g

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat a large pan medium heat with oil. Cut your yellow squash into thin quarters, and add to the pot along with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the translucent and caramelized. Transfer to a large bowl

sesame oil10g

salt6g

black pepper3g

yellow squash908g

Step 3

As the vegetables cook, finely chop your garlic and ginger, and set aside (garlic and ginger together). Finely chop the peanuts, and set aside (separate from the garlic/ginger). Dice your chicken into 1" cubes

garlic1 head

fresh ginger28g

peanuts½ cup

boneless skinless chicken breast908g

Step 4

When the squash is done, add the garlic, ginger, chicken, and oil to the pan, and cook until chicken reaches 165F. Transfer to the bowl with the squash

sesame oil5g

Step 5

Meanwhile, mix together your sauce in a large glass - soy sauce, balsamic, white vinegar, gochujang, liquid monk fruit, and cornstarch

low sodium soy sauce¼ cup

balsamic vinegar30g

white vinegar30g

gochujang36g

liquid monk fruit2.5g

cornstarch8g

Step 6

When the chicken is cooked and the pan is empty, add the sauce to the pan over medium heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until syrupy, glossy, and thickened. Transfer to the bowl

Step 7