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Kung Pao Chicken for One

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken stir fry for one, dinner for one, spicy peanut chicken, takeout at home
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 1 serving
Marinated chicken stir-fried with red pepper, peanuts, and green onion in a sweet and spicy soy sauce.

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • ½ tsp granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp cornstarch
  • 1 boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh (4–6 oz) cut into 1-inch cubes

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ tsp sriracha (or other hot sauce)
  • ½ tbsp water
  • ⅛ tsp ground ginger (or ¼ tsp freshly grated ginger)
  • ½ tsp cornstarch

Main pan

  • 1 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 2 tbsp whole roasted unsalted peanuts (or 3 tbsp roasted unsalted cashews)
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 green onion white and green parts chopped
  • 1 garlic clove minced

For serving (optional)

  • 1 cup cooked white rice

Directions

  • In a bowl, mix the rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch. Add the chicken, stir to coat, and let it sit while you make the sauce.
  • In a second bowl, stir together the sauce ingredients: the 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, honey, balsamic vinegar, sriracha, water, ginger, and cornstarch.
  • Heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the peanuts and red pepper flakes until lightly browned, then spoon them into a bowl.
  • Add the other ½ tablespoon of oil and cook the bell pepper and garlic for about 1 minute. Add them to the peanuts.
  • Lift the chicken out of the marinade (throw the marinade away) and cook it for 1 to 2 minutes per side. If the pan looks dry, add a little more oil. Push the chicken to the sides and cook the green onion in the center for 30 seconds.
  • Return the peanuts and peppers to the pan, pour in the sauce, and turn the heat to low. Stir for about 30 seconds, until the sauce thickens and coats everything. Serve over rice, if you like.

Nutrition

Serving: 515g | Calories: 751kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4.4g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 1075mg | Potassium: 1074mg | Fiber: 4.6g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 2759IU | Vitamin C: 100mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 4.1mg

Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central, for the whole recipe (1 serving); skinless chicken breast or thigh (the first choice counted), ¼ tsp sriracha (the first choice counted), ⅛ tsp ground ginger (the first choice counted), whole roasted unsalted peanuts (the first choice counted), ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes counted as cayenne, onion counted as green onions. Brands and portions vary, so use it only as an approximation.