Kung Pao Chicken

This Kung Pao Chicken is a non-spicy, flavorful stir-fry with tender chicken, crisp capsicum, and a savory sauce, served with fluffy jasmine rice. It’s quick to prepare, taking under an hour with simple ingredients, and customizable with optional peanuts and chili for added texture and heat. Perfect for a balanced, satisfying meal.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Prepare the Marinade/Sauce In a mixing bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. Whisk until smooth and set aside.

Step 2

Marinate the Chicken Place diced chicken thigh into the mixing bowl. Pour in 1/4 cup of the marinade and mix until evenly coated. Let marinate for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Prepare Vegetables Slice capsicums into thin strips, removing seeds and pith. Separate the spring onion roots and stems, chopping the white parts into 3-4 cm pieces and slicing the green stems for garnish.

Step 4

Cook Jasmine Rice In a saucepan, add washed jasmine rice, cold water, and a pinch of salt. Stir, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off heat, leave the lid on for 4 additional minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Step 5

Toast Peanuts Heat a small pan over medium-high heat, add peanuts, and toast for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and golden. Set aside to cool.

Step 6

Cook the Chicken In a large pan over medium-high heat, add peanut oil. Cook the chicken in batches for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Step 7

Stir Fry Vegetables In the same pan, add capsicums and cook using leftover oil from the chicken for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add white spring onion roots and cook for 2 minutes more.

Step 8

Combine and Finish Return the cooked chicken to the pan along with any resting juices. Stir in the remaining marinade. Cook for 1 minute until the sauce thickens and glazes everything. Add toasted peanuts (if using) and mix to combine.

Step 9

Serve Divide rice and Kung Pao Chicken among plates or storage containers. Garnish with green spring onion stems. If storing, allow to cool for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.