Kung Pao Chicken combines tender chunks of chicken, crisp peppers, and onions in a flavorful sweet and spicy sauce. Top with peanuts for some extra crunch!
This easy dish is perfect served over rice and garnished with green onions!
What is Kung Pao Chicken?
Kung Pao chicken is a sweet and spicy stir-fry dish that originated in the Szechuan province of China. It’s made with chunks of chicken, veggies, peanuts, and of course, chili peppers (add a little or a lot).
Kung Pao chicken is a full meal in itself and chock-full of fresh veggies and tender chicken. This homemade, stir fry can be on the table in less than an hour. Perfect for a busy weeknight!
What is Kung Pao Sauce?
This is the best recipe for Kung Pao sauce because it can be made as mild or spicy as you like it!
Tangy and full of flavor, this sauce is chock full of savory ingredients like soy sauce, chicken stock, and Hoisin, all blended together in one multi-purpose sauce! Perfect on rice and noodles, too!
Spicy or Mild
This recipe uses chili flakes as most kitchens have them on hand but you can add your favorite chilies. Add a little or a lot.
How to Make Kung Pao Chicken
- Marinate chicken, and whisk together sauce ingredients (per the recipe below).
- Cook chicken about three-quarters of the way through and remove from skillet.
- Cook veggies adding the chicken and sauce back to the pan until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through.
Top with peanuts and green onions, and serve over a bed of rice or noodles.
How to Thicken Stir Fry Sauce
- If your stir-fry sauce is too thin, just make a slurry to thicken it up!
- The ratio for a slurry is 1:1, equal parts water and cornstarch.
- Mix water and cornstarch together first, then add the slurry to Kung Pao sauce while whisking.
What to Serve With It
This easy dish can be made as spicy or mild as you like and is perfect served over a bed of white rice or noodles!
For some extra veggies add Sesame Ginger Bok Choy or Stir Fry Veggies.
Satisfying Stir-Fry Recipes
- Easy Ramen Stir Fry – great weeknight meal!
- Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
- Easy Beef Stir Fry – full of flavor!
- Shrimp Stir Fry – quick and healthy
- Easy Pepper Chicken Stir Fry
Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 pound chicken thighs boneless skinless , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Stir Fry
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper 1/2" diced
- 1 green bell pepper 1/2" diced
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic grated
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or 3 dried red chilies
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup dry roasted peanuts
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- In a bowl combine chicken, soy sauce and cornstarch. Let marinate while you prepare the sauce.
- In a small bowl whisk together all sauce ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
- Add chicken and cook just until browned, about 75% cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet.
- Add more oil if needed and add red and green bell pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes or just until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add the chicken and sauce. Continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in green onions and peanuts and serve over rice.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Main Course
Cuisine Chinese© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Absolutely delicious! It tasted like it came out of a restaurant kitchen. Definitely going to be in our dinner rotation!
Holly!!! ❤️
I am so glad to have found your site and in a few weeks have made many many of your recipes. I love the everyday ingredients and the care you take to offer suggestions and substitutions!!!
This Kung Pao Chicken recipe is THE BEST!! I sliced my peppers thinner so cooked for a shorter time.
I appreciate you and all your good and hard work!!!
Marcey, thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipes. :)