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Air Fryer Kung Pao Chicken is a delicious Chinese take-out style recipe to make on a busy weeknight. Combining air frying and stir frying, this meal comes together fast, and tastes delicious. Served over some cooked rice, this is a great easy dinner recipe.
Air Fryer Kung Pao Chicken
This crisp air-fried chicken with silky Chinese Kung Pao sauce and crunchy peanuts will surely be your new go-to recipe when you need to make something delicious quickly.
With the help of an air fryer this recipe comes out in under 60 minutes.
Serve it with a bowl of steamed rice to make it a complete meal.
When you order Kung Pao Chicken in Chinese restaurants, the chicken is often deep fried. Air frying the chicken is easier and healthier.
By using your air fryer to cook the chicken to crisp perfection, the texture is in line with what you would expect from Kung Pao Chicken, without the deep frying..
The ingredients you will need at a glance. The full list is on the recipe card.
There are a few steps, but they are not difficult. You will have a tasty dinner in no time!
Mix the chicken with the marinade ingredients and cornstarch. Let it sit about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile mix up the sauce ingredients. Then add the chicken to the air fryer basket.
Air fry the chicken. Then start the stir frying, beginning with the garlic and ginger.
Next, add the chiles and the bell peppers to the skillet.
Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch slurry and scallions and stir.
Add the chicken and peanuts and stir, heating through. Then serve with some hot rice.
How To Adjust Spiciness of Kung Pao Chicken
How spicy do you like it? Just like at the restaurant, you can have as many “stars” as you like.
This recipe as written is mildly spicy.
Simply add more or fewer of the dried chili peppers, which you can find at your local Asian Market.
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TIP: If you only have raw peanuts, you can toast them in a skillet for a few minutes until you can smell them and they get just a bit of color.
If you make this yummy Air Fried Kung Pao Chicken recipe, please let me know. Just leave a comment with a star rating below.
I’d love to know how you liked it.
Air Fryer Kung Pao Chicken
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Skillet
Ingredients
FOR CHICKEN
- 1 Tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 Egg White
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 3 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
FOR THE SAUCE
- 3 Tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoon Shiaoxing Cooking Wine (or use Sherry or Sake)
- ½ cup Water
FOR STIR FRY
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Minced Ginger
- 4-5 Dry Red Chilies, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into cubes
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into cubes
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons Cold Water
- Green Onions, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Roasted Unsalted Peanuts
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- In a large bowl mix together the dark soy sauce, egg white, rice vinegar, cornstarch and salt. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and stir to coat the chicken. Let marinate for 5-10 minutes.
Make the Sauce
- Whisk together the dark soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, pepper, cooking wine, and water. Set aside while the chicken is marinating.
Air Fry the Chicken
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350° F. Brush the basket with a little oil and put the marinated chicken in it (8-10 pieces per batch). Brush a little oil on top. Cook for 3 minutes on one side then turn and cook for another 3 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Set aside when done.
Stir Fry
- Next, heat the oil in a large skillet, then add the ginger and garlic. Cook just until garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the dried red chilies and the bell peppers. Stir fry it for a few seconds.
- Give the prepared sauce a stir, then pour it into the pan and bring it to a boil.
- In a small bowl mix together cornstarch and water and add it to the sauce.
- Add green onions, ground black pepper, salt, and the air-fried chicken to the pan and mix all the ingredients in the sauce until the chicken is evenly coated and the sauce thickens.
- Stir in peanuts, toss well, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve hot with rice and enjoy.
Notes
- Marinating chicken in cornstarch, vinegar, egg white, and soy sauce not only makes chicken extremely flavorful but also provides a protective coating that holds the moisture inside the chicken. This makes it tender from the inside and crispy on the outside.
- You can add or omit vegetables in stir fry according to your liking.
- Ensure that the sauce thickens and coats each and every piece of chicken properly before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Resources to Make this Recipe and More
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