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Kung Pao Chicken

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Servings: 6
Author: David Buckingham

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 3-4 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
  • 4-6 dried red chili peppers to taste, found in Asian supermarkets or the international aisle in large grocery chain
  • 2/3 cup roasted cashews or roasted peanuts
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped into bit size pieces
  • 1 zuchinni chopped into halves
  • sesame seeds and chopped green onions for garnish (optional)

Sauce

  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

Cornstarch Slurry

  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp water

Instructions

  • In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine the chicken, cornstarch, salt, and black pepper. Shake until well-coated.
  • Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce, set aside.

Slow Cooker Method

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (You can skip this stove-top step if you prefer or are in a pinch. Just add chicken directly to slow cooker. The chicken will not have that crispy coating.). Cook chicken about 2-3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Transfer chicken into the slow cooker and pour sauce over top.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 2.5-4 hours or HIGH for 1.5-3 hours.
  • About 30 minutes before serving, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir into the slow cooker. Toss in the dried red chili peppers, red bell peppers, zucchini, and cashews, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for another 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened up. (If your slow cooker is not hot enough to thicken the sauce - pour sauce into a pot and heat on the stovetop on high to thicken the sauce or you can just skip the cornstarch slurry instead.)
  • Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions, and serve over zoodles, cauliflower rice, quinoa or your favorite rice.

Instant Pot Method

  • Turn Instant Pot to SAUTÉ (skip steps 1-2 and just cook on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (high) for 5 minutes if you are in a pinch or prefer. The chicken won’t have that crispy coating.)
  • Allow pan to heat up for a few minutes then add oil. Cook chicken in batches (placing the browned chicken on a paper-towel lined plate) about 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Once all the chicken is browned, add back to the Instant Pot and pour sauce over top.
  • Close and seal Instant Pot and set the valve to sealing.
  • Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (high) and set for 3 minutes. Once the 3 minutes is up and the Instant Pot beeps, do a quick release after 5 minutes. Open the lid and transfer chicken to a large serving plate or bowl.
  • Return inner pot back to the Instant Pot. Press the SAUTÉ button and add additional oil as needed. Toss in the zucchini, bell peppers, and dried red chili peppers. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Combine the cornstarch with water to make to make a slurry and stir into the Instant Pot. Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken up. Return chicken back to the pot along with the cashews and cook for another 1-2 minutes until everything is heated through.
  • Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa, or zoodles, if desired.

Notes

Adapted from: https://lifemadesweeter.com/kung-pao-chicken/