The famous Sichuan dish of diced chicken quickly stir-fried in a wok with dried chili, Sichuan pepper and peanuts. A sweet-sour-spicy balance in a high-protein, satisfying stir-fry.
Written by
Ecem Akkaba · Dietitian
Dietitian, graduate of İstanbul Medipol University. She develops the recipes and nutrition values on FitZen.
Updated:
Kung Pao Chicken – Sichuan Chicken with Peanuts contains 330 calories per serving: 28 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate and 17 g fat. It takes 30 minutes in total and makes 4 servings.
Kung Pao chicken (Gong Bao Ji Ding) is a world-famous stir-fry named after the title of a Sichuan governor from the Qing dynasty. Small cubes of chicken are cooked quickly over high heat in a wok with dried chilies and Sichuan pepper.
The dish's character is the sweet-sour-spicy balance built from soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar and a little sugar. This version skips deep frying; the chicken is sautéed in a little oil, so it is calorie-controlled, and using breast meat keeps the fat low.
Chicken provides high-quality protein, while peanuts add healthy fats and extra protein. With steamed rice and greens it makes a balanced, satisfying meal.
Toss the chicken cubes with the soy sauce and cornstarch and marinate for 15 minutes.
Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
Toast the peanuts in a dry pan until golden, then set aside.
Heat the wok over high heat, add the oil and briefly fry the dried chilies and Sichuan pepper until fragrant.
Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry over high heat until the surfaces are sealed and cooked through.
Add the garlic, ginger and the white parts of the spring onions and stir for a few seconds.
Pour in the prepared sauce, stir until it thickens, then add the peanuts and green onions.
Drizzle over the sesame oil, remove from the heat and serve hot.
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