Chicken Chinese

Kung pao chicken

Name: Dimsimlim's Kung pao chicken recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: /chinese
Ingredients: Vegetable oil, to ﬂash-fry; 1/2 onion, cut into 3cm chunks; 1 long green shallot, cut into 4cm lengths, plus extra, to serve (optional); Toasted sesame seeds, to serve (optional); 400g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized cubes; 20.00 ml Chinese rice wine (shaohsing); 20.00 ml sesame oil; 20.00 ml corn ﬂour; 2.00 tsp chicken stock powder; 1/2 tsp ground white pepper; 20.00 ml vegetable oil; 2 slices fresh ginger; 12 garlic cloves, crushed; 10 dried chillies; 2 tsp cooking caramel (karamel masakan, from Asian grocers); 2 tsp caster sugar; 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce; 20.00 ml oyster sauce; 1/2 tsp YumYum Umami Seasoning or MSG; 2 tsp potato starch; 2 tsp Chinese rice wine (shaohsing); 35g peanuts

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by Vincent Yeow Lim (Dimsimlim)

Sep 30, 2025

“Kung pao chicken is a spicy stir-fried dish that’s a staple in Sichuan cuisine, known for its bold flavours and signature kick of heat. With tender chicken, crunchy peanuts and a tangy sauce, it’s deliciously savoury, spicy and slightly sweet. This recipe uses cooking caramel (karamel masakan – available at Asian supermarkets) to give the dish depth, as well as its signature rich, brown colour.” – Vincent Lim.

This is an edited extract from The Wolf of Wok Street by Vincent Lim, published by Hardie Grant Books.

Vegetable oil, to ﬂash-fry
1/2 onion, cut into 3cm chunks
1 long green shallot, cut into 4cm lengths, plus extra, to serve (optional)
Toasted sesame seeds, to serve (optional)

Chicken

400g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 tbs Chinese rice wine (shaohsing)
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tbs cornﬂour
1 tsp chicken stock powder
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Sauce

1 tbs vegetable oil
2 slices fresh ginger
12 garlic cloves, crushed
10 dried chillies
2 tsp cooking caramel (karamel masakan, from Asian grocers)
2 tsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
1/2 tsp YumYum Umami Seasoning or MSG
1 tsp chicken stock powder
2 tsp potato starch
2 tsp Chinese rice wine (shaohsing)
1/4 cup (35g) peanuts, roasted

Method

1.

For the chicken, place all ingredients and 1/4 tsp fine salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, ensuring the chicken is evenly coated, and let it marinate for at least 15-20 minutes to absorb the flavours.
2.

Fill a wok one-third full with vegetable oil and heat to 190°C over medium-high heat. You can also test the oil with a wooden chopstick – if bubbles form around it when lowered in, the oil is hot enough. Once the oil is hot, flash-fry the marinated chicken pieces for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked through (carefully add the chicken piece by piece so it doesn’t stay in clumps). Add the onion and shallot and cook for a further 1 minute. Carefully strain the chicken, onion and shallot from the oil using a slotted spoon, and place on a sieve or plate lined with paper towels to drain. Set aside the leftover oil to use for future use.
3.

For the sauce, heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a clean wok over medium heat. Add the ginger slices, garlic and dried chillies, stir-frying for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Next, add the cooking caramel, sugar, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, YumYum or MSG and chicken stock powder. Stir until everything is well combined, letting the flavours meld together.
4.

In a small bowl, mix the potato starch and ¼ cup (60ml) water to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the wok and stir until the sauce thickens. Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, add the fried chicken pieces to the wok, tossing them to ensure they are evenly coated with the sauce.
5.

Add the shaohsing wine to the wok and stir for another 30 seconds to let the flavour sink in, then toss through the roasted peanuts. Remove the kung pao chicken from the heat, transfer it to a serving plate, and garnish with sesame seeds and extra shallot, if desired. Enjoy!