Gluten-Free Kung Pao Chicken with Easy Fried Rice

9 Reviews
Published Jul 13, 2020 ∙ Kristina Stosek

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Sticky most delicious Gluten-Free Kung Pao Chicken…Roasted in the oven first and then tossed in the most delicious Kung Pao sauce. By avoiding the deep-frying of the chicken, the recipe was much simpler and healthier.

Kung Pao Chicken with made from scratch Kung Pao sauce 

Kung Pao sauce is probably one of the most flavourful sauces you can add to chicken. To complete this gluten-free chicken dinner, I added a quick and easy fried rice recipe. I can honestly say that this chicken recipe is better than take-out!

 

gluten-free Kung Pao Chicken

 

What is Kung Pao sauce?

Authentic kung pao sauce is thick and sticky lightly sweetened, a bit sour, savoury, and holds some heat from Sichuan ( Szechuan) peppers. Sichuan pepper has a unique aroma and is not as hot as chilli peppers and not as pungent as black pepper.

To simplify this recipe, I used red chilli pepper flakes. However, if you do have Sichuan pepper on hand, please use it.

The Kung Pao sauce is made in minutes. First, briefly stir-fry the green onions, garlic, ginger and bell peppers. While the veggies are becoming deliciously fragrant, mix the sauce ingredients.

The sauce is made with a mixture of gluten-free tamari sauce, gluten-free hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, red chilli pepper flakes, water, and to thicken the sauce up, I added tapioca or arrowroot starch.

Although I don’t use corn starch in my recipes because it is one of the most GMO grains, you can also use corn starch. Now that you have the sauce mixed, pour it over the veggies, and you are done.

 

gluten-free Kung Pao Chicken

 

Kung Pao Chicken without frying

I wanted to keep this Gluten-Free Kung Pao Chicken recipe healthier and easier to make. Typically the chicken is marinated and then fried in batches. Then the chicken is added to the sauce. To prepare the chicken for the oven, I seasoned it with rice vinegar, honey and tamari sauce.

To give it a crispy coating, I added an egg white, olive or peanut oil and tapioca or arrowroot powder. Toss everything together, evenly spread over a large baking tray and roast at a high temperature until the chicken starts to brown.

The roasting takes about 10 – 15 minutes, depending on how large the chicken pieces are. The chicken is now ready to be added to the sauce.

Now that you have the Kung Pao sauce and the chicken ready add the chicken and cashews to the sauce. Heat the sauce until it thickens and the chicken is heated through. This takes about 2 – 3 minutes.

In this gluten-free Kung Pao Chicken recipe, I used cashews, but you can also use peanuts. I try to avoid peanuts whenever possible because so many people are allergic to them. This is why I used olive oil instead of peanut oil in this recipe.

 

gluten-free Kung Pao Chicken with fried rice

How to serve this take-out style Chinese dinner?

To make this a complete chicken dinner, I have included a very simple fried rice recipe. However, you can use simple rice with parsley, or if you are watching your carbs serve the Kung Pao Chicken in fresh crispy lettuce leaves.

For me, I love the Kung Pao Chicken rolled in young cabbage leaves. During hot summer months, I like to eat light and serve this delicious Asian chicken dish in lettuce or young cabbage leaves.

Chicken dinners are always popular, so adding another delicious gluten-free chicken recipe to your repertoire is always welcome. This gluten-free chicken dinner is a favourite of mine because it takes less than thirty minutes from start to finish, and the Chinese chicken dish satisfies that take out dinner craving.

healthier Kung Pao Chicken recipe

This Kung Pao Chicken is also a healthier version of the one you would order in a restaurant because it has less fat, less salt and the chicken recipe is made without MSG.

I hope you enjoy this take-out style gluten-free chicken dinner as much as my family does. I call this an easy, weeknight Chinese chicken dinner takeout meal.

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Kristina xx

Gluten-Free Kung Pao Chicken with Easy Fried Rice

9 reviews
Published Jul 13, 2020 · Kristina Stosek
Prep Time:
15 min
Cooking Time:
15 min
Serves:
4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. Skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 Tbsp. Rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. Pure honey
1 Tbsp. GF tamari sauce
1 Tbsp. Tapioca or arrowroot powder
3 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil, divided
1 large egg white
4 green onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp. Minced or grated ginger
2 red, orange or red bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup roasted cashews
KUNG PAO SAUCE
1/4 cup GF tamari sauce
3 Tbsp. GF hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp. Rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. Pure honey
2 tsp. Tapioca or arrowroot powder
1 1/2 tsp. Sesame oil
1/2 cup water or GF chicken broth
1/2 tsp. GF red chilli pepper flakes or to taste
Optional toppings: diced green onions, cashews
EASY FRIED RICE RECIPE
3 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil or peanut oil
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or thinly sliced
2 tsp. Minced or grated ginger
4 cups cooked long-grain rice, cooled
1 cup frozen peas, cooked per package directions
1 cup frozen corn, cooked per package directions
1 Tbsp. GF tamari sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 F and line a large baking tray with foil paper
  2. While the oven is heating up, In a large bowl combine chicken, 1 Tbsp. Rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. Honey, 1 Tbsp. Tamari sauce, 1 Tbsp. tapioca/arrowroot powder, 1 Tbsp. Olive oil and egg white. Spread the chicken in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, until the chicken starts to brown
  3. While the chicken is cooking, combine the sauce ingredients until smooth
  4. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add green onions, garlic, ginger and bell peppers. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the sauce mixture and cook over medium-low heat until the sauce starts to thicken. About 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cashews and cook until the chicken is heated through. About 3 minutes.
  5. Serve with diced green onions and extra cashews.
  6. TO MAKE THE FRIED RICE
  7. Using a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add green onions, garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant. About 2 minutes. Turn up the heat to high, add rice, peas, corn and tamari sauce and stir to combine. Cook until the rice is heated through stirring as needed. Enjoy!
  8. Notes: if you want to intensify the chicken flavour, marinate the chicken overnight and replace chicken broth for water

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Comments

  1. Mike

    The recipe was a tad on the salty and a bit too much vinegar for us. I would advise backing off on the soy sauce by a tsp or maybe go with 1/2 tbsp and half the vinegar as well. I would also up the red pepper flake if you like it more spicy... I'd go with 3/4 tsp or just add in afterwards to taste.

  2. Kristina

    thank you for your input, sounds delicious.

  3. Cindee

    very tasty, I used low sodium tamari sauce and it turned out perfect!

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