Forget Take-Out: You Can Make Kung Pao Chicken at Home

This sweet tasting Kung Pao Chicken is my home-style way to reproduce this classic Chinese dish. Serve sprinkled with peanuts and chopped green onions over steamed rice, and get into it!

What I love about including a stir-fry on my weekly meal plan is if I prep the sauce and chop the vegetables on the weekend, all I need to do is assemble and cook it during the week.

Even if you skip preparing the ingredients ahead of time, most of the prep work for this stir-fry can be completed by the time the rice steams.

It's faster than running across town to pick it up this saucy-and-tangy Chinese meal from your favorite restaurant. Enjoy!

If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #COOKAPALOOZA. I'd love to see what you cook! Thanks!

Kung Pao Chicken at Home

Makes: 4 Servings

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp. Thai red curry paste (you can find it at most major grocery stores)
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 inner ribs celery, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick
• 3 green onions (scallions) sliced, whites and green kept separate
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts (I break them in half)

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, red curry paste, sugar, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. In a separate large bowl, toss chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of cornstarch and toss with chicken.

In a wok or heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium-high heat until it's shimmering hot. Add chicken. Let cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 minutes longer (it's all right if it sticks slightly to the skillet. We'll combine those browned bits with the sauce). Add remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet. Add red pepper, celery and whites of green onions. Cook and stir for 2 minutes longer.

Give the chicken broth mixture a quick whisk, stir it into the chicken and vegetables, and continue stirring until it thickens. Scrape the bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon to combine brown bits with sauce. Serve immediately over steamed rice and sprinkle with peanuts and remaining green onions.