This Kung Pao Chicken recipe has juicy chicken, dried chilies, crunchy peanuts, and fresh green onions, all mixed in a sweet and spicy kung pao sauce and served over hot rice.
It's my take on the classic Chinese takeout favorite!
If you're a fan of take-out dishes, don't miss my Mongolian Beef, Lo Mein, or Sweet and Sour Chicken from the blog.
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Why This Kung Pao Chicken Is Yummy
💖 Restaurant Quality: Kung Pao Chicken is my top pick at Chinese restaurants, and I think this recipe hits the mark! Ready in less than 30-minutes!
💖 Adaptable: Cooking at home means you can add your favorite ingredients and so much HEALTHIER. I often include extra veggies like zucchini, mushrooms, green beans, snow peas, carrots, and broccoli.
💖 The Sauces: This dish gets its amazing flavor from two key sauces: the chicken marinade and the Kung Pao sauce. Both work together to give the dish a great taste boost.
Ingredients
- Dried Chilies - Dried chilies can vary in spiciness, so taste them and adjust how many you use based on your heat preference. Most heat comes from the seeds, which you can remove. If you don't like spicy food, use whole dried chilies for flavor but don't eat them.
- Balsamic Vinegar or Chinese Black Vinegar - You can use any of these two here. The Chinese vinegar looks and tastes a bit like balsamic vinegar. You can find it at Asian stores for just a few dollars. Make sure to get Chinese black vinegar, not Taiwanese or other types, as they taste different.
- Chicken - This time I used chicken breast (tenderloins are also ok) but chicken thighs would be even more juicier if you like dark chicken meat. For other proteins, you can use sliced pork, beef, turkey, whole shrimp, or even ground meat. Just remember to marinate and cook ground meat in chunks.
- Cornstarch - This helps thicken the sauce and gives the chicken a smooth texture when stir-fried.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce - Adds savory flavor without too much salt.
- Hoisin Sauce - A thick, sweet sauce that adds richness to the Kung Pao flavor. There aren't many good substitutes for hoisin sauce. Teriyaki sauce can work in a pinch, but the flavor won't be quite the same.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
How To Make Easy Kung Pao Chicken
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch bite-sized cubes. Mix together the Chicken Marinade ingredients, then add the chicken and let it sit for at least 15 minutes to tenderize.
- In a separate bowl, combine the Kung Pao Sauce ingredients. Whisk until the cornstarch dissolves and the sauce is smooth. Set it aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the chicken and cook on medium-high heat until it's golden brown and nearly cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add the chopped bell peppers, pressed garlic, grated ginger, and dried chilies. Stir-fry for 4 minutes until the veggies are tender.
- Pour the Kung Pao Sauce into the pan and stir everything together. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the chicken back to the pan. Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Add chopped green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds, and stir to combine. Let it warm through a bit, then remove from heat.
- Serve with extra sesame seeds on top.
What Does Kung Pao Sauce Taste Like?
Kung Pao sauce has a bold flavor that's sweet, sour, and savory with a unique spicy kick from hot peppers.
The sauce flavor is quite strong with a glossy texture thickened with cornstarch.
Tips
- If you ran out of balsamic or Chinese vinegar, you can use rice wine vinegar, white vinegar instead. I've tried Kung Pao Sauce with all these options, and they work quite well.
- Prep Everything First - Cut your chicken, chop veggies, and measure out your sauces before you start cooking. This makes the cooking process quicker and easier.
- Use High Heat - Stir-fry the chicken and vegetables over high heat. This helps them cook quickly and stay crispy.
- Don't Overcrowd the Pan - Cook in batches if needed. If you put too much in the pan at once, it can steam instead of fry, which makes everything soggy.
- Toast Your Peanuts - For extra flavor, toast the peanuts in a dry pan before adding them to the dish.
- Cook the Sauce Well - Let the sauce cook until it thickens. This ensures it coats the chicken and veggies nicely.
What To Serve With Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken is typically served with steamed rice or fried rice.
Here are some favorites of mine:
- Cucumber Salad - This Korean or Asian cucumber salad
- Pickled vegetables - Pickled daikon radish or cabbage
- Egg Rolls or Wonton Dumplings
- Lettuce Wraps
- Spring Rolls - Light and fresh, they balance out the savory noodles. We also love Thai or Chinese samosas
- Wonton Soup or Sweet and Sour Soup
- Vegetables - Steamed broccoli, spicy zucchini, Brussels sprouts, bok choy or thsi air fryer cauliflower
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- To Make Ahead. You can prepare the kung pao sauce and marinade in advance. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge. The chicken can marinate for up to 4 hours.
- To Freeze. Although it's best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze the Kung Pao Chicken after it's cooled. Put it in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator before reheating to serve.
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Recipe Card
Kung Pao Chicken (Better Than Panda Express!)
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch bite-sized cubes. Mix together the Chicken Marinade ingredients, then add the chicken and let it sit for at least 15 minutes to tenderize.1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dry Sherry wine, 2 teaspoon olive oil
- In a separate bowl, combine the Kung Pao Sauce ingredients. Whisk until the cornstarch dissolves and the sauce is smooth. Set it aside.¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, ½ cup low sodium chicken broth, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoon dry Sherry wine, 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the chicken and cook on medium-high heat until it's golden brown and nearly cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, 3 tablespoon olive oil
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add the chopped bell peppers, pressed garlic, grated ginger, and dried chilies. Stir-fry for 4 minutes until the veggies are tender.5 dried red chili peppers, 1 large red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 3 large garlic cloves, 2 teaspoon olive oil
- Pour the Kung Pao Sauce into the pan and stir everything together. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the chicken back to the pan. Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Add chopped green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds, and stir to combine. Let it warm through a bit, then remove from heat.5 green onions, ½ cup roasted peanuts, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Serve with extra sesame seeds on top.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- To Make Ahead. You can prepare the kung pao sauce and marinade in advance. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge. The chicken can marinate for up to 4 hours.
- To Freeze. Although it's best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze the Kung Pao Chicken after it's cooled. Put it in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator before reheating to serve.
- If you ran out of balsamic or Chinese vinegar, you can use rice wine vinegar, white vinegar instead. I've tried Kung Pao Sauce with all these options, and they work quite well.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Kung Pao Chicken: Frequently Asked Questions
Kung Pao Chicken gets its spice from Sichuan peppercorns and sometimes chili paste or dried red chilies.
If the sauce is too thin, mix a small amount of cornstarch with water and stir it into the sauce while it simmers until it thickens.
You can prepare the sauce and marinate the chicken ahead of time. However, it's best to cook and serve it fresh for the best texture and flavor.
YES, you can skip the peanuts if you have allergies or just prefer not to use them. You can replace them with cashews or another nut, or omit them entirely.
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Julia
easy and delicious - this one pot Kung Pao Chicken is our go to copycat dinner!