Kung Pao Chicken is the perfect mid week meal, it’s fast and delicious and full of nutritious veggies! I have been making this meal for years but we are particularly interested in this dish this week for its “Keto” value. Yes, I can’t believe we are on the “Keto” band wagon, but since we have been practicing Intermittent fasting for a while now, we are adding some Ketogenic meals into the mix.
After a fast (Whether it is a 16 hour fast or a 48 hour fast it doesn’t matter) it adds more fat burning and health benefits if you break the fast with a Ketogenic meal. This means high in protein and healthy fats and low carbohydrate veggies. So instead of serving it with steamed rice, this week we are opting to eat a “Kung Pao Bowl”, without the rice. The peanuts and sesame oil add the healthy fat, the chicken brings the lean protein and the veggies add the “Kung Pao!”
This looks like a lot of ingredients and a lot of work but it’s really simple once you’ve done it once or twice.
Kung Pao Chicken (Keto Friendly)
1 chicken breast
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 inch section of fresh garlic
1 clove garlic
1 yellow onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
8 ounces white mushrooms
1 zucchini
1/4 cup peanuts
Topping:
2 green onions
Kung Pao Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1 Teaspoon crushed dried chili peppers
1 Tablespoon cornstarch (can be omitted for Keto diet)
4 Tablespoons water (omit if you do not use corn starch)
Sriracha to taste
I start by chopping all vegetables and chicken in 3/4 inch cubes and have them all ready. This is called Mise en place (Siunds like Mee-zon-plas) and means to chop vegetables and have them ready for cooking. For the fresh ginger, I peal it with a knife by slicing off the rough exterior then slice it into paper thin slices and then turn and slice it again crosswise and then again to make a small mince chop. I do a similar technique with the garlic. Or you can do it Rachel Rays way and grate it. Lastly chop up your chicken breast because you don’t want it to dirty up your cutting board.
Prepare your Kung Pao sauce by adding all ingredients together: soy sauce, sesame oil, chili pepper flakes, cornstarch and water. I use a small container with a lid so I can shake it up but you can also put it in a small glass and stir it u good. Add half of the garlic and ginger, the other half you will use to stir fry the chicken.
Of course I have my temperature on high and I stir fry in batches: First add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil stir fry the chicken cubes. Halfway through cooking add the garlic and ginger and a splash of soy sauce. When chicken is cooked remove from heat onto a separate dish. (You can reduce he heat if it gets too crazy for you)
Next stir fry the mushrooms and onions allowing them to get brown, add more oil if necessary. Remove these from the skillet and add to the holding plate.
Next stirfry the zucchini, I stirfry these items seperate because I like them to get brown and toasty, at least on one side. Zucchini and mushrooms taste so much better when they have browned a little.
Lastly add the peppers, peanuts and chili flakes and after a minute or so add all other items that have been previously cooked. Then add the Kung Pao sauce and stir as it thickens in the pan.
if you are doing the Keto version then omit the cornstarch and water step.
This whole cooking process including chopping veggies should take 20 minutes, the same amount of time needed to cook a pot of rice. So if you are making rice, start it before you start chopping veggies.
Making Rice: 1 cup of long grain rice to 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt. Add all ingredients into a pan big enough for the rice to expand at least double its size with a tight fitting lid. Bring the water to a boil, cover with the lid, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Easy Peezy.
For Other Great Dinner Ideas try a recipe from our Archives:
Babaganush (Middle Eastern Roasted Eggplant Dip) Published July 29, 2017
Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce (Published August 18, 2017)
Saltimbocca (Roman Style Veal Scallopini) (Published February 18, 2018)
Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Salad (Bun Bo Xoa) Published March 12, 2018)
Spiced Chickpea Salad with Roasted Cauliflower (Published April 22, 2018)
Steamed Mussels and Fettuccine (Cozze e Fettuccine) Published May 4, 2019)
Shrimp Risotto (Risotto alla Gamberi) Published June 2, 2018)
Pasta Carbonara (Published May 12, 2018)
Arancini (Italian Fried Rice Balls) Published June 4, 2018)
Ossobuco alla Milanese (Milan Style Veal Shanks & Saffron Risotto) Published June 20, 2018)
Lasagna Bolognese (Published Aug 3, 2018)
Kung Pao Chicken (Published August 23, 2018)
