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kung pao chicken
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Kung Pao Chicken

Spice up your weeknight dinner routine with this easy and flavorful cashew kung pao chicken recipe. With its satisfying combination of bold flavors and crunchy cashews, this dish is almost guaranteed to become a new family favorite. It is simple to make at home, so you can enjoy all the flavors of your favorite Chinese takeout without ever leaving the house.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword Kung Pao Chicken
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 438kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 Tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon of the sherry and 1 Tablespoon of the cornstarch.
    1-1/3 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs (trim fat), cut into 1/2" pieces, 5 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tbsp. cooking sherry, 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • In a small bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, water and the remaining 4 Tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon of sherry and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch.
    2 tsp. granulated sugar, 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar, 2 tsp. sesame oil, 1/3 cup water
  • Prepare scallions, white bulbs and green tops cut separately into 1/2″ pieces.
    4 green onions, white bulbs and green tops cut separate into 1/2" pieces
  • In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil over moderately high heat. Add the cashews and stirring until light brown, about 30 seconds. Remove from the pan.
    2 tbsp. peanut oil, 3/4 cup roasted and salted cashews
  • Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil. Add the white part of the scallions and the red-pepper flakes to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring, until almost done, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture and the scallion tops and simmer until the chicken is just done, about 1 minute longer. Stir in the cashews. 
    1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • Serve over rice.

Notes

For optimal outcomes when preparing this kung pao chicken, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.
The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition

Serving: 249g | Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.1g | Protein: 40.3g | Fat: 23.8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12.7g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 792mg | Potassium: 764mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 41.1IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 30.5mg | Iron: 2.7mg