How To Make Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken

Don’t you know Kung Pao Chicken? Chinese food? Let’s take a look at the description of Kung Pao Chicken in Panda Express. A Szechwan-inspired dish with chicken, peanuts, and vegetables, finished with chili peppers. You can see the picture below.

It can be said that Kung Pao Chicken is a national dish in China. It’s not that Kung Pao Chicken is the best among China’s eight major cuisines, but because Kung Pao Chicken is the most popular in the world.

Let’s Start With A Little Story About Kung Pao Chicken

On September 22, 2015, Pope Francis visited the United States. The White House prepared a grand reception for him, but the Pope only wanted to eat Kung Pao Chicken from a Chinese restaurant.

It turns out that more than 20 years ago, when he was only a local bishop, he went to the United States to participate in exchange activities. He was once taken there by the Chinese godfather to eat, and he never forgot.

The FBI wanted to reject the Pope’s request on security grounds. The Pope quit and had to eat Kung Pao Chicken. As a result, the FBI had no choice but to quietly escort the Pope to the Chinese restaurant in Chinatown and have a low-key meal of Kung Pao Chicken.

But this matter was followed by the American media, which caused a lot of public opinions: ‘Can’t we have some American food first?’. Food critics directly announced that Kung Pao Chicken is an American dish.

The chef improved Kung Pao Chicken as an American, so Kung Pao Chicken is American. The Chinese in the United States are not happy, triggering an extensive online discussion about whether Kung Pao Chicken is American. Another, during Trump’s visit to China, the third dish at the state banquet was Kung Pao Chicken.

This Kung Pao Chicken has been mentioned in many TV dramas and Friends if you are careful. Why is Kung Pao Chicken so popular in the United States?

In my opinion, first of all, the taste of Kung Pao Chicken is very American. Kung Pao Chicken is a combination of a sweet and sour taste. Secondly, China and the United States have the same latitude on the earth, and both eat peanuts and peppers. Finally, chicken and pepper are produced in the United States, and they eat local ingredients.

Panda Express is the best Chinese chain in the United States for a reason. I don’t know. I know there is a kind of sauce in Panda Express, called Kung Pao sauce.

What does that mean? We can use chicken, cucumber, fried peanuts, and dried pepper at home. We then use Kung Pao sauce launched by Panda Express to make Kung Pao Chicken with the same taste as Panda Express.

What’s more intimate about Panda Express is how to make Kung Pao Chicken into PDF, which you can visit.

https://www.pandaexpress.com/recipes/kungpaosauce.pdf

How To Make Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken

As I said above, we can buy Kung Pao sauce. We can make Kung Pao Chicken at home with this sauce, as delicious as Panda Express.

Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken Ingredients

• 1 lb Boneless Chicken Thigh Meat
• 2 oz (about 1/2 cup) Diced Red Bell Pepper (1/2” Squares)
• 2 oz (about 1/2 cup) Diced Green Onions
• 2 oz (about 3/4 cup) Diced Zucchini (1/2” Squares)
• 2 oz (about 1/3 cup) Peanuts
• 8 pcs Dry Whole Chili Peppers
• 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
• 3/4 cup* Panda Express Kung Pao Sauce

*(Use 1/2 cup sauce for the marinade and 1/4 cup for stir fry)

How To Make Kung Pao Chicken With Panda Express Sauce

• Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a fry pan or wok.
• Stir in whole chili peppers and cook till peppers turn dark in color.
• Add marinated chicken. Stir fry till chicken is cooked.
• Combine red bell peppers, green onions, and zucchinis to the pan.
• Pour ¼ cup sauce into the pan. Mix well with ingredients. Stir fry till sauce slightly thickens. Do not over-boil the sauce.
• Mix in peanuts. Remove promptly.
• Ready to serve with your favorite rice or noodles.

What kind of pepper is in panda express Kung Pao Chicken? You can refer to the above information.

How Many Calories In Kung Pao Chicken

Panda Express gives a detailed list of nutrient facts for this dish.

What Is In Kung Pao Chicken

• Chicken
• Cucumber
• Fired peanut
• Dry pepper
• Green onion
• Panda Express Kung Pao sauce

What Is Kung Pao Chicken

Speaking of Kung Pao Chicken, let me tell you a Chinese story. When it comes to Kung Pao Chicken, we must mention Ding Baozhen, a famous official in the late Qing Dynasty. Ding Baozhen was born in Niuchang town of Pingyuan, Guizhou Province, and a renowned general of Huaijun.

He once served as governor of Shandong and governor of Sichuan. Ding Baozhen was incorruptible and often donated his salary to the poor. Still, he was heavily in debt because of the need for life. Not only that, Ding Baozhen was flexible and practical. He often restricted the deployment and was very strict with them.

When Ding Baozhen died, his colleagues and subordinates raised money for his funeral.

Because Ding Baozhen is originally from Guizhou, Guizhou people like spicy food very much, and Ding Baozhen is no exception.

But because he had been working in the north before, he could only order the chef at home to make ‘Fried chicken.’ Later, he was transferred to the governor of Sichuan, which made Ding Baozhen very happy.

Sichuan people also like to eat chili peppers. Ding Baozhen let the kitchen use peanuts, chicken, and dried pepper fried chicken at every banquet, taste very spicy, and is very popular with guests. Later, because he was called ‘Prince Shaobao’ and ‘Ding Kung Pao,’ the dish cooked by his chef was called ‘Kung Pao Chicken.’

How about it? Do you think it’s exciting? Why do Chinese people study food so much! Besides, there are many stories about eating.

Authentic Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

The Kung Pao Chicken in Panda Express mentioned above must be American taste, which needs no doubt. After all, Panda Express is our American business. However, this dish comes from China. What’s the authentic Kung Pao Chicken recipe? First, let’s take a look at the pictures of Kung Pao Chicken made by Chinese people.

Authentic Kung Pao Chicken Ingredients

Main ingredients: chicken leg (225g), peanut (50g).

Accessories: green onion (45g), ginger (10g).

Seasoning: dry pepper (8g), Chinese prickly ash (1.5g), salad oil (60g), salt (2g), cooking wine (2g), monosodium glutamate (1g), soy sauce (6.5g), sugar (10g), vinegar (7g), Lake powder (22g).

Authentic Kung Pao Chicken Instructions

• After removing the bone and skin of the chicken leg, wash it, loosen the chicken with the back of a knife, cut it into 1.5cm dice and ginger. And garlic slices, and cut the scallion into small circles.
• Add a bit of yellow rice wine and a little salt to the diced chicken, repeatedly grasp the sticky with your hands, and then put in the dry starch.
• Sugar, rice vinegar, cooking wine, soy sauce, salt into the container, mix well, add onion, ginger, and garlic. Add the right amount of water, make juice.
• Heat the pan, pour in the oil, when the oil temperature is 70%, put in the pickled diced chicken, stir fry until the chicken turns white, and serve.
• A little oil left in the pot, add pepper and dry pepper, stir fry with medium and small heat, take out the onion, ginger, and garlic soaked in the sauce. Then stir fry for 10 seconds, pour the chicken back into the pot, stir fry with high heat for 30 seconds, pour in the sauce, add chili oil, and finally add peanuts when the color turns bright.

Tips

Use boiling water to brew peanuts, peel off the skin, put the peanuts in a cold pan with cold oil, stir fry them over medium heat until they are light scorched yellow. And then put them on a large plate for cooling.

Conclusion

The Kung Pao Chicken in this Panda Express is as popular and sought after by the American people as the Panda Express Orange Chicken. At the same time, it’s my favorite. You know what? Since I went to university, I have been encouraged by my Chinese classmates and began to eat Chinese food.

At that time, there was a Panda Express in our canteen. At that time, my first attempt at Chinese food was this Kung Pao Chicken, famous all over the United States. I’ve been working for many years now. I still like Panda Express.

It’s also fate. I have worked for many years and have changed many companies. However, the only constant is that Panda Express always has a store near my workspace.

Don’t forget to keep the receipt after paying at Panda Express. According to the information on the receipt, you can get a free entree item by participating in the online activities of Panda Express, its Panda Express survey. What about? Try the Kung Pao Chicken in Panda Express.