Serve Kung Pao Shrimp for Dinner

This delicious take on the Chinese-American takeout classic using shrimp instead of chicken for a weeknight meal that comes together in about 15 minutes. Like all stir-fry recipes, Kung Pao Shrimp requires a bit of prep work, but once your mis-en-place is done, it only takes about 5 minutes to cook. That's why it's very important to have everything prepped and ready before you start stir-frying, or some your dish will get overcooked/burnt.

I based this recipe on my Kung Pao Chicken but because shrimp tends to have a more intense flavor than chicken, I've added extra ginger and garlic as well as some black pepper. Because shrimp cooks faster than chicken, I've also changed the order in which the ingredients are added to the pan so the shrimp doesn't overcook.

The finished dish is a masterpiece of vibrant colors and varying textures, with shrimp that pop in your mouth, tender sweet peppers, crunchy browned peanuts, and a balanced savory/sweet sauce with just a hint of nutty acidity from the black vinegar.

If you have time, it's worth soaking your shrimp in an alkaline solution such as potassium carbonate because it improves the texture, giving it a firm supple crunch that's a signature part of shrimp in Chinese cuisine. You can read a bit more about the process in my Wonton Noodle Soup recipe.