Description
With the traditional sticky sauce with a punch of heat thanks to dried Szechuan chiles, this Gluten Free Kung Pao Chicken recipe makes a simple weeknight dinner without relying on takeout!
Ingredients
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- 4 tablespoons tamari, soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon raw honey (See Notes)
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2" - 2" cubes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 12 dried red hot chiles, halved and seeded
- 5 scallions, white part only, thickly sliced
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 (1/2”) piece of ginger, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped cashews
Instructions
- Prepare chicken. In a large bowl, In a separate bowl, toss the cubed chicken breasts in arrowroot powder until each piece of chicken is coated. Set aside.
- Combine sauce. In a separate bowl, combine tamari, rice wine vinegar, honey, apple cider vinegar, and sesame oil in a medium bowl.
- Cook chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring only once or twice, for 6-8 minutes. Remove to a plate or bowl and set aside. Add the dried chiles, half of the scallions, garlic, and ginger. Cook for another 2-4 minutes.
- Reduce sauce. Pour in the tamari mixture. Let the sauce boil and thicken for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced and thickened. Add the chicken back to the skillet and stir to coat, cooking for another 1-2 mintues until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat. Add the cashews and remaining scallions, stirring to coat.
- Serve. Serve Kung Pao chicken over rice or cauliflower rice. Garnish with sliced scallions and additional cashews, if desired.
Notes
- Sweeten to taste: Honey adds sweetness to the sauce, but if you use coconut aminos you may find the sauce sweet enough. However, my recipes tend to not be as sweet as others; you can bump up the amount of honey if needed. Taste the sauce and adjust as you go!
- Swap out honey and use brown sugar or cane sugar instead.
- Watch the skillet: when you add the sauce, stir frequently to prevent burning. The sauce will quickly go from too thin to done, so keep an eye on the skillet!
- For the most crunch, toast the cashews in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes before adding to the finished dish.