Food

Want the Best Kung Pao Chicken of Your Life? Make It Yourself

Going out for Chinese food is always a good time. Spinning a lazy Susan full of umami goodness or digging into a pu pu platter is a quintessential American experience.

But it’s just as nice (dare we say more enjoyable?) to eat Chinese food at home. There’s just something about sitting in sweatpants, watching a nostalgic movie, and eating an absurd amount of kung pao chicken straight out of a trapezoidal takeout container that is deeply satisfying.

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But you know what’s even more satisfying? Making it yourself. At least it’s more rewarding.

Kung pao is the king of Sichuan-American food, which means it’s on just about every menu from the suburban strip mall restaurant you grew up frequenting to the trendy new urban hotspot you can’t get a seat at. And some of the best comes from Josh Grinker, chef of Kings Co Imperial in Brooklyn. Considering that’s where this recipe comes from, it’s almost guaranteed to taste better than your neighborhood joint.

RECIPE: Kung Pao Chicken

This crispy deep-fried chicken covered in peanuts, chilies, and plenty of sauce tastes like it’s straight from Shangri-La. It’s a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and umami as hell.

If you really want to get the most out of the experience, you can always throw it in a takeout container when you’re done cooking.