This Rich Drumstick Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken is so subtle that it is sublime—as delicate as it is powerful. That combination makes it one of the most popular dishes worldwide. It originated nearly two centuries ago during the late Qing Dynasty in or around Chongqing in the southwestern province of Sichuan. Chinese families often cook this meal at home and we improve the dish to our own tastes, although the key ingredients are retained to maintain the soul integrity of the Qing Dynasty across time.
Westerners rarely make this meal at home but have instead made Kung Pao Chicken the number one favorite choice in Chinese restaurants everywhere because of its mouthwatering texture and sweet and spicy sauce. Yum! Real happiness.
Chicken
As with my Sichuan Spicy Popcorn Chicken recipe, I am using chicken drumsticks/thighs. The traditional Western version of this dish is made with diced cubes of chicken breasts, which you can certainly choose to use. But, personally, once you prepare the leg meat the way I show you in the video, you will experience a juicer texture and more flavorful chicken.
Nuts
Traditionally, we use peanuts in this dish. I also like to add some cashews. Peanuts and cashews taste really good together. There are two ways to prepare the nuts. One way is to roast the peanuts/cashews in a preheated oven at 350 F (175 C) for 10-15 minutes. I most often fry them on the stovetop in vegetable oil for 3-4 minutes.
Here are the Ingredients:
Here is the Recipe:
Rich Drumstick Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
- 700 g / 24 oz Chicken Legs/Thighs (includes the bones) or Chicken Breasts
- 1 tbsp / 15 g Ginger, chopped
- 4 Large Garlic Cloves
- 3 Green Onions (separate the white, light green parts and dark green parts)
- 80 g / 2.8 oz Peanuts/Cashews, roasted (or fried)
- 5 Dry Chili Peppers
- 10 Black Peppercorns
Marinade Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine
- 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 1 Egg White
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
Seasoning Kung Pao Sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine
- 2 tsp Light Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Rice Vinegar (or Chinese Black Vinegar)
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Chicken Bouillon
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare all the ingredients in separate bowls.
- Cut the chicken in small chunks. In a large bowl, add Salt, Ground Black Pepper, Chinese Cooking Wine, and Light Soy Sauce. Mix well. Add the Egg White and Cornstarch. Mix well. Then add the Vegetable Oil and mix well. Chinese stir-fry could be renamed Chinese mix-fry! Set aside and let marinate for about 15 minutes.
- In a frying pan, add some Vegetable Oil. Fry the Peanuts and Cashews on medium heat for approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the nuts to a bowl and add two pinches of Salt. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare the seasoning kung pao sauce. In a small bowl, add the Chinese Cooking Wine, Light Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Sugar, Vinegar, Ground Black Pepper, Chicken Bouillon, and Cornstarch. Mix well and set aside.
- In a wok, add the Vegetable Oil, and on medium-high heat, cook the chicken until it is slightly browned. Remove and set aside.
- Leave some existing oil in the wok, on medium-high heat, add Ginger and Garlic, stir for about 10 seconds. Then add Dry Chili Pepper and Peppercorns and stir for another few seconds. Add the chicken and turn up to high heat. Add the seasoning kung pao sauce and stir well until the chicken is well mixed with the sauce. Stir and mix—the real secrets to cooking with woks.
- Add the Peanuts, Cashews and white, light green parts of the Onion. Stir for another 30 seconds. Scoop into a serving bowl and add the dark green parts of the Onion for garnish.
Video
Notes
- As mentioned earlier, you can also roast the peanuts and cashews in a preheated oven at 350 F (175 C) for 10-15 minutes.
- It is important to add the Vegetable Oil in the end for marinating the chicken because it prevents the chicken from sticking to the wok while cooking.
- Traditionally, we use the Chinese Black Vinegar for the Kung Pao sauce. Yet, I discovered that Rice Vinegar is a great substitution. You can be confident that either kind will taste great.
You can see the difference that dark meat has over chicken breasts in this recipe. This Kung Pao Chicken is subtle and sublime in its tender and juicy textures and sweet and spicy surprises. Serve over hot cooked rice or enjoy it on its own!
This Rich Drumstick Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken is better than any takeout version and you will enjoy making this at home once you have given it a try!
English 
Dansk
I love this chicken recipe
Hi Simon, thank you. I hope you will enjoy making this Kung Pao Chicken recipe. Please let me know if you have any question.
I like this recipe very much and keep on posting these kind of recipes.