Kung Pao Chicken
Wear rubber gloves when handling chiles! Their heat, though excellent in this Chinese favorite, can transfer to your fingers and make wiping your eyes or nose a painful experience.
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Nutritional Bonus: Kung pao isn’t always served with rice, but by including the long-grain brown variety we call for here, the dish becomes an incredible source of manganese. In fact, a single serving provides over 100% of your daily recommended intake. This essential trace mineral supports healthy nerve function, helps with blood sugar balance and is critical for metabolism of carbohydrates and fat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain brown rice
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided
- 1 tsp aji mirin (Japanese rice wine)
- 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch dice
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 4 1/4 tsp arrowroot
- 1 tsp organic evaporated cane juice
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp peanut, safflower or sunflower oil
- 6 to 10 small dried red chiles (preferably Szechuan chiles), halved crosswise and seeded
- 2 tsp whole Szechuan peppercorns
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into
- 3/4-inch dice
- 6 scallions, white and light green parts only, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts
Preparation
- Prepare rice according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 1 tbsp soy sauce and aji mirin. Stir in chicken and set aside at room temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine broth, vinegar, 2 tbsp water, arrowroot, cane juice, sesame oil and remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce. Set aside.
- When rice is about 10 minutes from being done, heat peanut oil in a large wok or skillet on high. Add chiles and peppercorns and cook, stirring almost constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken mixture, spreading chicken in a single layer in wok, and cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Then stir chicken constantly for 1 minute.
- Add bell pepper, scallions, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until bell pepper begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add broth-vinegar mixture and stir until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Stir in peanuts. Serve chicken mixture over rice, dividing evenly.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 cup chicken mixture and 3/4 cup rice
- Calories 410
- Carbohydrate Content 51 g
- Cholesterol Content 51 mg
- Fat Content 9 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 27 g
- Saturated Fat Content 1.5 g
- Sodium Content 372 mg
- Sugar Content 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 51 g