Description
Kung Pao Chicken with Vegetables over Rice is a spicy, savory stir-fry made with tender chicken, crisp vegetables, roasted peanuts, and a bold sauce, served over rice for a complete, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 zucchini or 2 carrots (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
- 6–8 dried red chilies or 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- Cooked white or brown rice, for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, and water to prepare the sauce. Set aside.
- Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with cornstarch until lightly coated.
- Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Sauté chicken until browned and cooked through, then remove and set aside.
- Add remaining oil to the skillet and stir-fry bell peppers, zucchini or carrots, garlic, and ginger for 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Return chicken to the skillet, add the sauce, and stir to coat evenly.
- Add roasted peanuts and dried chilies. Stir and cook 2–3 more minutes until sauce thickens.
- Serve hot over cooked rice, garnished with chopped green onions.
Notes
- Use tofu or tempeh for a vegetarian version.
- Increase chilies or add Szechuan peppercorns for more heat.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to cut salt content.
- Include broccoli, mushrooms, or snow peas for extra veggies.
- Serve over noodles for a variation on the dish.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in skillet or microwave with a splash of water if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (with rice)
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 85mg