Twisted Kung Pao Chicken

Name: Twisted Kung Pao Chicken
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 63 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 ½ tablespoons dry sherry divided; 4 tablespoons soy sauce divided; 2 tablespoons sesame oil divided; 2 tablespoons cornstarch divided; 1 ½ tablespoons water divided; 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce; 2 teaspoons chili flakes replaced dried Sichuan peppers; 2 teaspoons sugar; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste; 1 teaspoon garlic paste; 2 bell peppers any color, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks; 3 green onions white and green parts sliced 1 inch; ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts; Salt as needed

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 29 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Kung Pao with swapped hoisin for sugar and chili flakes for dried peppers. Chicken chunks bathed in a cornstarch slurry that firms and locks juices. Bell peppers and onions chunked big, slapped in hot oil till their skins tighten and flavors pop. Sauce slurps up the pan bits, thickening with cornstarch and dry sherry. Peanuts tossed last for crunch contrast. Quick but watch those sear marks; nothing worse than dry, rubbery bird here. Timing tweaks keep bite tender and peppers lively. The zing hits from punchy garlic and ginger pastes balanced by sharp rice vinegar, all shaken up in one pan chaos.

Prep: 45 min

Cook: 18 min

Total: 63 min

Servings: 6 servings

#Chinese #Szechuan #Chicken #Stir-fry #Peanuts #Spicy #Quick

Ever tried dry sherry in a marinade? It’s a game changer, tenderizes chicken without the usual vinegar punch. I swapped sugar for hoisin once; that sticky-sweet depth played nicely with chili flakes instead of the usual Sichuan peppers—spice hits the tongue differently, less floral but more raw heat. Bell peppers chunked bigger, because in my experience, small dice end up soggy messes. Green onions sliced thick keep their snap and freshness. The cornstarch slurry? Not just thickener—locks juices, makes chicken irresistibly slick. Watch for that sear sound, oil crackling. The sauce should thicken like glossy lacquer, no lumps allowed. My key? Let the peanuts hit last for crunch, never soggy. This dance of timing and textures keeps every bite lively. Clean pan means flavor depth—don’t skip scraping bits off bottom. Done well, you get crisp peppers, tender meat, and a sauce that clings.

Ingredients

1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch chunks
1 ½ tablespoons dry sherry divided
4 tablespoons soy sauce divided
2 tablespoons sesame oil divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch divided
1 ½ tablespoons water divided
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons chili flakes replaced dried Sichuan peppers
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
2 bell peppers any color, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 green onions white and green parts sliced 1 inch
½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
Salt as needed

About the ingredients

Chicken thighs work better here than breasts, juicier, less prone to drying out. Dry sherry can be replaced with Shaoxing wine if on hand; avoid sweet cooking wine unless you want to throw off balance. Hoisin sauce swaps nicely with sugar, but adjust sugar quantity downward if your hoisin is very sweet or thick. Chili flakes are readily available and can be stronger or milder depending on brand—taste one first before adding all. Cornstarch slurry components can be mixed fresh or prepped ahead for faster cooking. Bell peppers vary widely in sweetness; red peppers add natural sugars while green adds earthiness. Peanuts must be unsalted roasted for best flavor and crunch—raw nuts get bitter in pan, salted can overpower. Sesame oil is toasted for aroma, don’t confuse with plain.

Method

Marinade

Dust chicken chunks dry thoroughly to avoid steaming in pan. Whisk together 1 tablespoon dry sherry, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, then make cornstarch slurry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and an equal amount water; mix slurry into marinade until silky smooth. Toss chicken in slurry marinade, coating evenly. Cover and chill 25 to 35 minutes. Rest here lets cornstarch seal moisture.

Sauce

Combine remaining ½ tablespoon dry sherry, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger and garlic pastes, chili flakes, and remaining cornstarch slurry made from 1 tablespoon cornstarch plus ½ tablespoon water until smooth. No lumps, no grit.

Veg Prep

Slice off bell pepper stems and hollow out seeds; discard white membranes, bitter. Chop peppers chunky. Trim green onions to 1-inch lengths. Reserve.

Cook Chicken

Drain chicken from marinade, shake off excess liquid—don’t pour it in. Pan on really high heat, 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame oil. When oil ripples and smells toasted, slip in chicken in single layer. Let pieces brown; no crowding or steaming. When sizzling soft crackle and golden crust appear, flip. About 6 to 7 minutes should do. Look for opaque white insides. Pull chicken out, rest on plate.

Make Sauce & Vegs

Add 1 tablespoon more sesame oil to same pan; red flags if oil smokes black, reduce heat slightly. Toss in bell peppers, stir fry 60 seconds; you want petal-like spots forming, not soggy. Add green onions here if you like a milder soft crunch. Pour sauce over vegetables. Scrape brown bits off pan bottom to deglaze—flavors trapped here. Cook sauce about 2 to 3 minutes, bubbling thick and glossy. Watch the shine; if sauce clumps, lower heat or thin with splash water.

Finish & Serve

Return chicken and peanuts to pan, fold in carefully. Warm through until you hear the slight hiss and see steam rising. Do not overcook—peanuts burn, chicken toughens, peppers go limp. Taste for salt, add pinch if necessary. Serve instantly. Rice or noodles ready now.
End. No waiting. Eat hot or you lose texture.

Cooking tips

Dry chicken pieces thoroughly before marinating—that crust won’t form if chicken is wet. Mixing marinade ingredients well is key; cornstarch must dissolve fully or sauce clumps ruin texture. Marinating time can stretch to 35 minutes for deeper flavor but not more or chicken gets gummy. Heat pan high enough for instant sizzle—oil must shimmer but never burn black. Adding chicken in batches prevents crowding and stewing; overcrowded pan yields rubbery results, not worth saving. When veggies hit the pan, their aroma should brighten immediately—if it doesn’t, pan too cool or oil insufficient. Sauce thickens fast; once it glossy coats the veggies, stop cooking or it breaks. Peanuts last, folding them in brings contrast and final texture before serving. Serve while hot—leftovers lose crisp veggies and sauce thickens excessively.

Chef's notes

💡 Dust chicken chunks dry before marinating. Wet chicken kills crust. Use slurry to seal juices. Coat well but no glop. Marinate 25-35 minutes only; longer gets gummy. Keep refrigerated. Timing is key for texture, no mush here.
💡 Heat pan high, oil must shimmer not smoke black. Toss chicken in single layer. Crowd it? Steam, rubbery mess. Flip when crust crackles, golden spots appear. Sear sound guides you. Peek inside pieces for opaque white, pull out quick, rest off heat.
💡 For sauce, stir cornstarch slurry last; no lumps or grit allowed. Sauce thickens quick, thick glossy coat on veggies marks stop point. Thin with splash water not more soy or oil; breaks sauce glossiness if careless.
💡 Bell peppers chunked big hold texture better. Thin slices go limp fast. Peel out bitter white membranes or bitterness rides with you. Green onions thick cut for crunch; add at end of veg stir-fry. Peanuts raw or salted nope—use unsalted roasted only.
💡 Peanuts go in last fold gently. Overcook peanuts bring bitterness and burn. Watch peppers pop spots not soggy. Any smoke black oil means heat dropped too low or pan dirty; clean pan means flavor, scrape bits off pan bottom when deglazing for sauce depth.

Common questions

Why is slurry important?

Locks juices in chicken chunks. Prevents drying. Makes coating silky, holds marinade flavors. Without slurry, chicken dries fast and no glossy sauce cling. Use equal parts water and cornstarch mixed smooth before adding.

Can I swap dry sherry?

Shaoxing wine works good substitute. Avoid sweet cooking wine. Alters balance. Dry sherry tenderizes chicken better, acidic but subtle. No alcohol? Try mirin but syrupy sweetness shifts flavor. Adjust sugar if so.

Chicken turned rubbery, why?

Pan crowding biggest culprit. Steaming, no sear crust forms. Too low heat kills aroma, soft skin. Also marinate too long or slurry too thick. Flip only once after golden crust. Rest chicken after cooking before rescue moisture.

Storing leftovers tips?

Cool quickly. Store airtight fridge up to 2 days. Peppers soggy next day but still flavor good. Reheat gently, add splash water if sauce thickens too much. Peanuts lose crunch, toss fresh if preferred. Not great frozen; texture suffers.