Kung Pao Chicken is one of the most popular dishes of Szechuan cuisine—perfectly salty, sweet, sour, with that signature spicy “tingle.”
- About Kung Pao Chicken
- Hina’s Tried and True Tips
- Watch Kung Pao Chicken Video
- Serving Suggestion
- Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
About Kung Pao Chicken
The Kung Pao Chicken recipe originated in the Sichuan province of China, well-known for its hot peppers. It is also known as Chicken Gong Bao . It is a sweet and spicy chicken dish widely popular in restaurants and takeout joints worldwide.
Kung Pao is the best thing that can happen on a Friday night. Or for, say, on any night when you are planning a fun family dinner.
After testing many Kung Pao recipes, I conclude that you cannot simultaneously think of healthy and takeaway-style chicken. It is the kind of dish that requires a bit of frying and involves cornstarch. Without these two, I doubt there can be any good Kung Pao.
Hence, I am sharing a truly restaurant-style Chicken Kung Pao recipe that is delicious and easy to follow at home.
The authentic Gong Bao recipe requires Sichuan peppers and other local ingredients. I have tweaked the authentic recipe to make it more practical or workable for everybody.
Looking for more Chicken recipes?
Hina’s Tried and True Tips
- Use bite-size pieces of chicken . This helps in the quick cooking and frying of the chicken pieces. The large pieces of chicken usually take a longer time to get cooked.
- Can I skip cornstarch? Cornstarch makes the sauce gooey and finger-licking good. You can use potato starch or rice flour to thicken the sauce. If you do not care about the consistency of the sauce, then go ahead and skip adding starch.
- Is frying chicken necessary? Yes absolutely. Those crispy bits of chicken dunked in sweet and spicy sauce is the soul of this chicken recipe. To save a few calories, you can air-fry the marinated chicken till crisp.
- Can I make vegetarian kung pao? Yes, absolutely. Use paneer (cottage cheese), tofu, cauliflower, broccoli, or mushroom instead of chicken. Keep the sauce and other ingredients the same. You will end up with a delicious bowl of vegetarian or vegan kung pao.
Watch Kung Pao Chicken Video
Serving Suggestion
Kung Pao Chicken is an Asian-style main course dish. Serve it with – Chilli Garlic Noodles , Pineapple Fried Rice , plain jasmine rice, or fried rice of your choice.
A few side dishes that taste great with chicken kung pao are – smashed cucumber salad , classic steamed bok choy, garlic spinach, or stir-fried broccoli .
Love Asian flavours? Here are a few of my favourites I make on repeat for dinner – Asian Chicken Meatballs , Thai Basil Chicken , or the Chicken Fried Rice .
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Ingredients
Ingredients for marinade
- ▢ 500 gram boneless & skinless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
- ▢ 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ▢ ½ teaspoon white pepper or to taste
- ▢ ¼ Cup cornflour (cornstarch)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ▢ Salt to taste
Ingredients For Sauce:
- ▢ ½ Cup diced yellow bell pepper
- ▢ ½ Cup diced red bell pepper
- ▢ 2 – 4 dry red chilies
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- ▢ 2 tablespoon fine chopped celery or spring onion
- ▢ 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- ▢ 2 teaspoon sriracha sauce or red chili sauce
- ▢ ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ▢ ¼ Cup water
- ▢ 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ 6 tablespoon sesame oil or cooking oil
Ingredients For Garnish:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon roasted peanuts
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped spring onion greens
Instructions
Marinate Chicken:
- Rinse the chicken pieces in water and pat dry with paper towels. Marinate the chicken pieces in oil, soy sauce, pepper, salt, and cornflour. Set aside for 15 – 20 minutes or keep in the fridge overnight.
Fry Chicken:
- Heat up a wok with 4 tablespoons of oil. Stir-fry the marinated chicken pieces until they are cooked and turn pale white in color. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
Prepare Sauce:
- Combine soy sauce, sriracha sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornflour and water in a bowl. Keep aside till required.
- In the same wok, heat remaining oil and stir fry the bell peppers for a minute. Transfer them to a bowl and keep aside.
- Add the chopped ginger, garlic, and dried red chilies. Stir fry until aromatic or 10 – 20 seconds.
- Next, add the chopped celery or spring onion and quickly stir-fry for less than a minute.
- Now, add the fried chicken pieces and mix nicely. Add the sauce mixture, salt, and stir-fry until the chicken pieces are nicely coated with the sauce. Allow the chicken to cook in the sauce for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and stir to combine. Turn off the heat.
- Garnish Kung Pao with roasted peanuts and spring onion greens.
- Serve Kung Pao Chicken with steamed jasmine rice.
Recipe Notes:
- Adjust the amount of salt as per the taste of the sauces and the sodium amount in each sauce.
- If you like the sauce fierce add more chili sauce or if you prefer it little sweeter be generous with the brown sugar.
- Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding more or less water.
- Use bite-size pieces of chicken . This helps in the even cooking and frying of the chicken pieces.
- If you do not care about the consistency of the sauce then skip cornstarch.
Nutrition
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Chinese Wok
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Ingredients for marinade
- 500 gram boneless & skinless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon white pepper or to taste
- ¼ Cup cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Salt to taste
Ingredients For Sauce:
- ½ Cup diced yellow bell pepper
- ½ Cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 - 4 dry red chilies
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoon fine chopped celery or spring onion
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sriracha sauce or red chili sauce
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ¼ Cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- Salt to taste
- 6 tablespoon sesame oil or cooking oil
Ingredients For Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon roasted peanuts
- 1 tablespoon chopped spring onion greens
Instructions
Marinate Chicken:
- Rinse the chicken pieces in water and pat dry with paper towels. Marinate the chicken pieces in oil, soy sauce, pepper, salt, and cornflour. Set aside for 15 - 20 minutes or keep in the fridge overnight.
Fry Chicken:
- Heat up a wok with 4 tablespoons of oil. Stir-fry the marinated chicken pieces until they are cooked and turn pale white in color. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
Prepare Sauce:
- Combine soy sauce, sriracha sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornflour and water in a bowl. Keep aside till required.
- In the same wok, heat remaining oil and stir fry the bell peppers for a minute. Transfer them to a bowl and keep aside.
- Add the chopped ginger, garlic, and dried red chilies. Stir fry until aromatic or 10 - 20 seconds.
- Next, add the chopped celery or spring onion and quickly stir-fry for less than a minute.
- Now, add the fried chicken pieces and mix nicely. Add the sauce mixture, salt, and stir-fry until the chicken pieces are nicely coated with the sauce. Allow the chicken to cook in the sauce for 5 - 10 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and stir to combine. Turn off the heat.
- Garnish Kung Pao with roasted peanuts and spring onion greens.
- Serve Kung Pao Chicken with steamed jasmine rice.
Video
Notes
- Adjust the amount of salt as per the taste of the sauces and the sodium amount in each sauce.
- If you like the sauce fierce add more chili sauce or if you prefer it little sweeter be generous with the brown sugar.
- Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding more or less water.
- Use bite-size pieces of chicken . This helps in the even cooking and frying of the chicken pieces.
- If you do not care about the consistency of the sauce then skip cornstarch.
Nutrition
Bhapa Doi is a no-bake, no-fuss Indian Cheesecake – a testament to the idea that the best things in life are often the simplest.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Bhapa Doi
- My Tried and True Tips
- Sugar Free Bhapa Doi Recipe
Bengali Cuisine is renowned for its incredible variety of sweets. There is a lesser-known dessert that is arguably one of the most elegant and effortless of them all: Bhapa Doi . Literally translating to “steamed yogurt”.
What Makes it So Special?
Unlike other milk-based sweets, Bhapa Doi doesn’t rely on hours of stirring or a complex set of ingredients. The key is using thick, full-fat curd (like Greek yogurt) and condensing it further with liquid sweetener. Steaming locks in the flavours and creates a custard-like texture that is firmer than traditional yogurt but softer than a baked cheesecake. It is a gluten free Indian dessert .
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Full Fat Curd without any liquid, hung in a muslin cloth for 1 – 2 hours. You can use Greek Yogurt also.
- Sweetener: Use date syrup for a sugar free bhapa doi. You can use condensed milk, liquid jaggery, or caramel also. In the traditional bhapa doi recipe, either homemade caramel or condensed milk is used.
- Saffron, and Cardamom Powder for rich taste and aroma.
- Chopped pistachios, almonds, or fresh fruit
How To Make Bhapa Doi
1) Prepare Hung Curd
- Place the curd in a muslin cloth or a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth.
- Hang it or place it over a bowl to drain the excess whey for at least 1-2 hours.
- This step is crucial for achieving a firm, creamy consistency. You can use hung curd to make shrikhand , and no bake strawberry cheesecake .
- If you’re using thick Greek yogurt, you can skip this step or drain it for a shorter period.
2) Whisk It
- In a large bowl, whisk the hung curd with date syrup, soaked saffron, and cardamom powder until it’s smooth and lump-free. The mixture should be homogenous and creamy.
3) Set for Steaming
- Grease a heat proof bowl or individual ramekin cups. Line the bowl with parchment paper. Pour the whisked curd gently into a greased bowl. Tap once or twice on kitchen counter to remove trapped air.
- Cover the bowl with aluminum foil to prevent water from dripping into the dessert during steaming.
- Bring about 2-3 inches of water to a boil in a large pot or steamer. Place a trivet or a stand inside the pot. Cover and let steam start forming.
- Carefully place the covered bowl of curd on the trivet. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes.
- Using an Instant Pot : Follow the pressure cooker method using the “Steam” function for about 15-20 minutes, with the vent in the “ Sealing ” position.
4) Check for Doneness
- The Bhapa Doi is done when it’s set and firm to the touch. You can do a simple test by inserting a toothpick or a knife—it should come out clean.
5) Let it Chill
- Turn off the heat and let the Bhapa Doi cool down completely at room temperature.
- Once cooled, transfer it to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2-3 hours.
- Once chilled, gently unmold the Bhapa Doi onto a serving plate or serve it directly from the ramekins.
Garnish with chopped nuts like pistachios, almonds, rose petals, and a few saffron strands.
My Tried and True Tips
- Don’t Rush the Draining: The single most important step is draining the liquid from curd to get soft cheese like consistency. If there is too much whey, the final product will be watery and not set properly.
- Whisk Well: Whisking the curd and sweetener until they are completely smooth ensures a uniform, lump-free texture.
- Cover the Dish: Covering the container with foil is essential to prevent steam and condensation from making the dessert watery.
- Allow To Chill: The chilling process allows the dessert to set and firm up, enhancing its creamy texture.
- No Powdered Sugar: Do not use powdered form of sugar as it will not set the curd during steaming process. You will end up with curdled curd.
More Healthy Indian Desserts
- Apple Quinoa Kheer
- Vegan Badam Phirni
- Baked Shahi Tukda
- Makhana Phirni
- Atta Ladoo
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 kilogram curd ( get recipe )
- ▢ ⅓ Cup date syrup
- ▢ 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon saffron strands
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped pistachio
Instructions
- Place the curd in a muslin cloth or a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Hang it or place it over a bowl to drain the excess whey for at least 1-2 hours. This step is crucial for achieving a firm, creamy consistency.
- In a large bowl, whisk the hung curd with date syrup, soaked saffron, and cardamom powder until it’s smooth and lump-free. The mixture should be homogenous and creamy.
- Grease a heat proof bowl or individual ramekin cups. Line the bowl with parchment paper. Pour the whisked curd gently into a greased bowl. Tap once or twice on kitchen counter to remove trapped air.
- Cover the bowl with aluminum foil to prevent water from dripping into the dessert during steaming.
- Bring about 2-3 inches of water to a boil in a large pot or steamer. Place a trivet or a stand inside the pot. Cover and let steam start forming. Carefully place the covered bowl of curd on the trivet. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes.
- The Bhapa Doi is done when it’s set and firm to the touch. You can do a simple test by inserting a toothpick or a knife—it should come out clean. Turn off the heat and let the Bhapa Doi cool down completely at room temperature.
- Once cooled, transfer it to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2-3 hours. Once chilled, gently unmold the Bhapa Doi onto a serving plate or serve it directly from the ramekins.
- Garnish with chopped nuts like pistachios, almonds, rose petals, and a few saffron strands. Serve chilled.
Recipe Notes:
- Make sure curd is not sour, thin, or too watery. It should be thick and creamy.
- You can use condensed milk, liquid jaggery, or caramel also. In the traditional bhapa doi recipe, either homemade caramel or condensed milk is used.
- If you’re using thick Greek yogurt, you can skip this step of draining and hanging.
- Using an Instant Pot : Follow the pressure cooker method using the “Steam” function for about 15-20 minutes, with the vent in the “ Sealing ” position.
Nutrition
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
