Lately, I’ve been on a takeout-at-home kick, and this Kung Pao chicken is my newest obsession. Loaded with spicy chicken, peanuts, and veggies in a delicious homemade Kung Pao sauce, this is an easy weeknight dinner that my whole family loves. It’s on the table in just 20 minutes, which is even quicker than takeout!
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
The sauce for this Kung Pao chicken is rich with soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, two kinds of vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil. It’s a little sweet, a little salty, and a just a touch spicy! It’s a great introduction to spicy foods for little ones since it’s not too hot. My kids love it! They especially love the crunchy peanuts on top!
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How to Store and Reheat
Once cooled to room temperature, you can store leftover Kung Pao chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or right back in the wok.
How to Freeze
You can freeze this chicken for up to 3 months. I recommend letting it slowly thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Special Ingredient
The one ingredient that’s a little unique in this Kung Pao chicken recipe is chili garlic sauce. It’s similar to Sriracha, but a little bit spicier and less sweet. I used Huy Fong brand, but any kind will do.
Top Reader Review
“This turned out amazing! I will definitely be making it again.” -Holly
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the Marinade/Sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth or water
- ¼ cup soy sauce *
- 1½ tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Chicken and Vegetables
- 20 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs diced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 2 bell peppers any color, diced
- ½ onion diced
- 1 (1-inch knob) fresh ginger minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup roasted peanuts
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together all marinade/sauce ingredients.½ cup chicken broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1½ tablespoons chili garlic sauce, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Place chicken in a separate bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons of the marinade over the chicken and mix together. Reserve the remaining sauce for later.20 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Add 1 tablespoon to a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir fry the chicken until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside on a clean plate.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the onions, cooking for a few minutes until soft.2 tablespoons vegetable oil, ½ onion
- Stir in ginger and garlic, cooking for a minute until fragrant.1 (1-inch knob) fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the peppers, chicken, peanuts, and remaining sauce. Stir fry until the sauce thickens.2 bell peppers, ½ cup roasted peanuts
- Serve with rice and a sprinkle of chopped green onion.
Notes
How To Make Kung Pao Chicken Step by Step
Marinate the Chicken: Whisk together ½ cup of chicken broth or water, ¼ cup of soy sauce, 1½ tablespoons of chili garlic sauce, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour 3 tablespoons of the marinade all over 20 ounces of diced boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) and mix together.
Cook the Chicken: Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a skillet or wok set over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken on all sides until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Sauté the Veggies: Add another 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet. Sauté ½ of a diced onion until soft. Stir in a 1-inch knob of minced ginger and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Stir in 2 diced bell peppers. Add the chicken, sauce, and ½ cup of roasted peanuts to the pan.
Thicken the Sauce: Stir fry everything in the pan until the sauce begins to thicken. Then, remove from heat and serve.
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Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
Love it. Soo goood.
Thank you so much for the recipy
Well done!
I’m so glad you love it!!
My husband really liked this, but I thought it was only OK. It wasn’t spicy like other Kung Pao chicken recipes I’ve made (one of which calls for 10 dried arbol chile peppers!), and I found it too “vinegar-y” — maybe something like Hoisin sauce might have counteracted that. I did like the texture, however, with the diced vegetables and roasted peanuts. One thing I would change in the recipe is that it’s pretty hard to “chop” raw chicken (actually, I’m not even sure how one would do that); I cut it into small pieces and it was perfect for the texture. I also grated the ginger instead of chopping it for the same reason — pretty tough to chop ginger up.
I hope you try it again and switch it up to your likings 🙂
This turned out amazing! I will definitely being making it again.
Thanks, Holly! I’m glad you enjoyed it!!
Recipe is fantastic, but it was more like 30 minutes to prep everything. Also, use red and orange bell peppers! They’re slight sweeter, and contribute greatly to the flavor profile!
Thanks for stopping by!