Chaat Masala Cooks

Tender marinated chicken, crunchy peanuts and dried chillies tossed with noodles in a glossy, savoury-sweet sauce, these Kung Pao Chicken Noodles bring a takeaway favourite to your own kitchen. Everything comes together in one pan, with plenty of sauce to coat every strand.

It’s a quick, satisfying dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights.

Recipe Details

• Preparation time: 20 minutes
• Cooking time: 20 minutes
• Total time: Approximately 40 minutes
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Chicken Marinade

• 500 g boneless chicken, cut into thin strips
• 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cornflour

For the Sauce

• 240 ml (1 cup) water
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1½ tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour

For the Vegetables

• 1 onion, cut into julienne strips
• 1 green capsicum, cut into julienne strips
• 3–4 green onions, cut into short lengths

To Finish

• Oil, for frying
• 50 g peanuts
• 3–4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1-inch piece of ginger, chopped
• 6–8 dried red chillies
• 300 g noodles, cooked according to the packet instructions
• Sesame seeds, for garnishing

Method

1. Marinate the Chicken

Place the chicken in a bowl with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, baking soda and cornflour. Mix well until evenly coated.

2. Mix the Sauce

Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the water. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar, caster sugar and cornflour, then mix well until smooth and set aside.

3. Cook the Chicken and Vegetables

Heat a little oil in a large pan or wok and pan-fry the chicken for 5–6 minutes, until cooked through. Add the onion and capsicum, keeping the green onion for later, and toss briefly. Remove everything from the pan and set aside.

4. Fry the Peanuts

Add a little more oil to the pan and fry the peanuts until golden. Remove and set aside.

5. Cook the Sauce

Sauté the chopped garlic and ginger until fragrant, then add the dried chillies. Give the sauce a quick stir, pour it into the pan and cook until it begins to thicken.

6. Add the Noodles

Add the cooked noodles and toss until they are well coated in the sauce.

7. Finish and Serve

Return the chicken and vegetables to the pan, then add the peanuts, green onion and sesame seeds. Toss everything together and serve hot.

Tips and Variations

• Stir the sauce just before adding it to the pan, as the cornflour settles at the bottom.
• Add the onion and capsicum for only a short time so they keep their crunch.
• For a milder version, use fewer dried chillies or leave them whole.
• Cashews can be used in place of peanuts.

Storage

Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat thoroughly, adding a splash of water to loosen the noodles.

Allergy information: Contains peanuts, soya, wheat, gluten, molluscs (oyster sauce) and sesame. Egg noodles also contain egg.