Sugar Free Kung Pao Chicken that tastes just like the regular stuff!
I like that this recipe can easily be made at home as well!
Sugar Free Kung Pao Chicken
This is a popular and favorite take out meal.
I like that I can also make this chicken recipe myself if I want to.
If you liked my Sugar Free Sweet and Sour Chicken then you will probably like this recipe as well.
That Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe was popular not only because it can be made sugar free, but because it tastes a lot like the take out version. This recipe for Kung Pao Chicken has a bit more flavor as well as ingredients to offer.
As good as having a great hack!
These kitchen helpers blew my mind and the time it takes me to make something in my kitchen!
Everyone wants to know what is Kung Pao Sauce made of.
To make a long sauce story short, I will sum up the Kung Pao sauce like this.
The sauce that makes this chicken recipe is really a great balance of opposites.
Kung Pao Chicken has about every kind of taste.
These tastes balance on another out to make the perfect meal.
I should also say that we top these flavors off with peanuts.
The secret to making a great tasting Kung Pao chicken really lies in the marinade.
The marinade obviously gives the chicken and other ingredients their flavor.
Also, the marinade offers the chicken moisture.
There is also a sauce that makes this chicken recipe so great tasting.
The sauce gives us the opposite in flavor. By opposites, I mean the tartness of vinegar with the sweetness of a sugar alternative.
Here are some tips Sugar Free Kung Pao Chicken
I just mentioned that this recipe calls for both a marinade and a sauce. The marinade can be made in advance and should be refrigerated when the chicken is sitting in it.
Here are some more helpful tips for you.
- The marinade calls for white wine. However, not everyone wants to use white wine in their cooking. So, a good substitute good substitute for white wine is to use Chinese white wine, rice wine, or Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine).
- This is one of those recipes that can be made using light meat (chicken breast) or dark meat (thighs). The kind of meat that you use is your choice. However, your chicken should be skinless and cubed or cut small.
- I am posting this as a more mild version of this recipe. Feel free to up yours up a notch if you likes your Kung Pao Chicken by increasing your spicy ingredients as desired. This is really a personal choice as we all have different tastes. 🙂
There are a few more 'unusual' (at least for me) ingredients that you will need for this recipe.
Toasted sesame oil and chili paste are needed for the sauce. An alternative for the oil would be any nutty flavor oil such as olive oil. An alternative for the chili paste could be sriracha or similar sauce (you may need to adjust for flavor and consistency).
Here are some similar recipes that you may also like.
- Sugar Free Baked Chicken Teriyaki.
- (Killer) Sugar Free Chocolate Brownies.
- Sugar Free Sweet and Sour Chicken.
- Low Carb Air Fried Chicken.
- 3 Ingredient Sugar Free Frozen Fudge Pops.
- Low Carb Air Fried Onion Rings.
Keep up to date with my recipes
You can check out my guide on baking with sugar alternatives on Amazon
I have some great tips on which alternatives may work in a recipe such as this one.
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The recipe for Sugar Free Kung Pao Chicken
As mentioned, you will also need toasted sesame oil and chili paste for the sauce. An alternative for the oil would be any nutty flavor oil such as olive oil. An alternative for the chili paste could be sriracha or similar sauce (you may need to adjust for flavor and consistency).
Also mentioned, the marinade in this recipe calls for white wine.
However, not everyone wants to use white wine in their cooking. So, a good substitute for good substitute for white wine is to use Chinese white wine, rice wine, or Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine). Also, this is one of those recipes that can be made using light meat (chicken breast) or dark meat (thighs). The kind of meat that you use is your choice. However, your chicken should be skinless and cubed or cut small
The ingredients needed to make this Sugar Free Kung Pao Chicken.
For the marinade.
- Chicken- 1 pound. You can use boneless breast or thigh meat. Make sure that you chicken is skinless, boneless, and cut into chunks or diced.
- White Wine- 2 tablespoons. We will divide this. I mentioned that a good substitute for white wine is to use Chinese white wine, rice wine, or Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine).
- Cornstarch- 1 tablespoon dissolved in 2 ½ tablespoons of water. We will divide this .
- Soy Sauce- 2 tablespoons, divided.
- Ginger- 2 teaspoons minced, grated, or ground (your preference).
Ingredients needed for the sauce
- Sesame Oil- 2 tablespoons divided. An alternative for the oil would be any nutty flavor oil such as olive oil.
- Vinegar- 1 teaspoon. Distilled white vinegar or rice wine vinegar.
- Sugar alternative- 2 teaspoons equivalent to sugar. Can use honey or alternative of your choice.
- Chili Paste- 1 tablespoon. Please use an amount or an alternative of your choice as some folks like this to be a recipe that is more spicy that others like this recipe to be. An alternative for the chili paste could be sriracha or similar sauce (you may need to adjust for flavor and consistency).
- Garlic- 2 cloves minced or chopped.
- Peanuts- ½ cup unsalted. You can chop the nuts or add them as is.
- Optional- red peppers/ red chilies, mixed vegetables, carrots, green onions, scallions, and/ or onions.
How to make Sugar Free Kung Pao Chicken
- Start by preparing your chicken and marinade. To prepare the chicken make sure that it is skinless and boneless. Then dice or slice the chicken. Place the chicken into a zip top bag or dish for marinating. To prepare the marinade, use a fork or a whisk to mix together 1 tablespoon of the white wine, 1 tablespoon of the corn starch with water mixture,1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and the ginger. Fully cover the chicken with the marinade and then seal the bag or cover the dish and place the chicken in marinade into the refrigerator for at least a half hour.
- Prepare the sauce by whisking or using a fork to mix the remaining wine, remaining cornstarch and water mixture, the remaining soy sauce along with one tablespoon of the sesame oil, the vinegar, and sugar alternative. Then stir in the chili paste and garlic. You can adjust these ingredients for flavor as needed or desired. Set this sauce aside.
- In a large skillet or wok on medium high to high heat, stir fry the chicken in the remaining oil until the chicken is fully cooked. This should take six to seven minutes and be sure to stir the chicken so that it does not burn. Transfer the chicken to to a clean plate.
- Next, add the sauce that you prepared earlier to the skillet or wok and cook until thickened. If your sauce seems to thick you can add a bit of water to thin it out as needed. Then turn the heat off and stir in the chicken and peanuts and serve.
- However, if you are adding vegetables to your Kung Pao you can cook them in the skillet or wok before your cook the chicken, removing them before you add the chicken to cook. Then stir the optional ingredients in when you add the chicken to the sauce at the end.
The Recipe Card for Sugar Free Kung Pao Chicken
Sugar Free Kung Pao Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil -divided
- 1 tsp Vinegar -Distilled white vinegar or rice wine vinegar.
- 2 tsp Honey -any sugar alternative that can be used in cooking.
- 1 tbsp Chili Past -see post for alternatives
- 2 tsp Garlic -minced or chopped
- ½ cup Peanuts -unsalted
Chicken
- 1 lb Chicken
- 2 tbsp White Wine - see post for details
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch -dissolved in 2 ½ tablespoons of water
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Ginger -minced, grated, or ground (your preference).
Instructions
- Start by preparing your chicken and marinade. To prepare the chicken make sure that it is skinless and boneless. Then dice or slice the chicken. Place the chicken into a zip top bag or dish for marinating. To prepare the marinade, use a fork or a whisk to mix together 1 tablespoon of the white wine, 1 tablespoon of the corn starch with water mixture,1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and the ginger. Fully cover the chicken with the marinade and then seal the bag or cover the dish and place the chicken in marinade into the refrigerator for at least a half hour
- Prepare the sauce by whisking or using a fork to mix the remaining wine, remaining cornstarch and water mixture, the remaining soy sauce along with one tablespoon of the sesame oil, the vinegar, and sugar alternative. Then stir in the chili paste and garlic. You can adjust these ingredients for flavor as needed or desired. Set this sauce aside
- In a large skillet or wok on medium high to high heat, stir fry the chicken in the remaining oil until the chicken is fully cooked. This should take six to seven minutes and be sure to stir the chicken so that it does not burn. Transfer the chicken to to a clean plate.
- Next, add the sauce that you prepared earlier to the skillet or wok and cook until thickened. If your sauce seems to thick you can add a bit of water to thin it out as needed. Then turn the heat off and stir in the chicken and peanuts and serve.
Recipe Notes
Also mentioned, the marinade in this recipe calls for white wine. However, not everyone wants to use white wine in their cooking. So, a good substitute for good substitute for white wine is to use Chinese white wine, rice wine, or Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine). Also, this is one of those recipes that can be made using light meat (chicken breast) or dark meat (thighs). The kind of meat that you use is your choice. However, your chicken should be skinless and cubed or cut small
*Please check the nutritional labels to assure that you are sticking to your diet restrictions for any substitutions used. - see post for alternatives
Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.
Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that are used.
*About Sugar Alternatives
Specific sugar alternatives are not given in the recipes presented on this site. Only suggestions are given as to the 'kind' of alternative to use. It is up to you to select the alternative to use that suits your needs best. If the recipe is heated or cooked, it is best to use an alternative that can be heated or cooked with for best results. This site does not endorse any specific ingredients,
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that the links on this website, and specifically on this post, that lead to other sites may be affiliate links.
Nutrition
Please note: Nutritional data has been calculated using a tool that comes with this recipe card and not by me. This means that Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that you use. The accuracy of this tool may differ from other tools as expected. Also note that there is no instructional value to the video that may be attached to this recipe. It is only there for visual pleasure. For more information about the images in this recipe, please refer the the recipe instructions. Thank you!
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Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that are used.
Make this delicious recipe for Sugar Free Kung Pao Chicken and impress your friends and family with a great tasting meal without all of the sugar.
Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.
You can see items that have been featured on my Sugar Free Sunday Spotlight here.