This Kung Pao Chicken Recipe is so much better than take-out! Loaded with spicy chicken, peanuts and vegetables in a delicious Kung Pao sauce, this easy weeknight dinner never disappoints.
Why We Love This Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
This Chinese kung pao chicken recipe is so much better than take-out! Check out what makes it so crave-worthy:
- Quick and easy: This recipe takes me about 20 minutes to make from start to finish. You’ll have it on the table quicker than you could order it from a restaurant!
- Flavorful: The marinade/sauce features bold ingredients like soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, rice vinegar and more.
- Versatile: You can switch up how spicy you make it, what you serve it with, etc.
What’s the difference between general tso and kung pao chicken?
The main difference between the two chicken recipes is that general tso chicken is deep fried and kung pao chicken is seared in a wok. General tso chicken is also on the sweeter side.
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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 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or right back in the wok.
How to Freeze
You can freeze kung pao chicken for up to 3 months. I recommend letting it slowly thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this over cooked rice such as jasmine rice or basmati rice. You could also serve it over noodles. A sprinkle of chopped green onions on top is great!
More Asian Chicken Recipes We Love
- Szechuan Chicken
- Orange Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Mandarin Chicken
Top Reader Review
“This turned out amazing! I will definitely be making it again.” – Holly
Easy 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 corn starch
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- dash salt and pepper
For the Chicken and Vegetables:
- 20 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs chopped into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- ½ onion diced
- 1 1-inch knob 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 corn starch, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, dash salt and 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 ginger, 2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the peppers, chicken, peanuts, and remaining sauce. Stir fry until the sauce thickens.1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 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 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 1/2 tbsp chili garlic sauce, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Pour 3 tbsp of the marinade all over the chopped chicken breasts (20oz) and mix together.
Cook the chicken: Add 1 tbsp oil to a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken on all sides until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add all ingredients: Add another 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet. Sauté 1/2 a diced onion until soft. Stir in 1 knob of minced ginger and 2 cloves minced garlic. Stir in 1 diced red bell pepper and 1 diced green bell pepper. Add the chicken, sauce, and 1/2 cup roasted peanuts to the pan.
Let it thicken: Stir fry everything in the pan until the sauce begins to thicken. Then, remove from heat and serve.
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!