Kung Pao Chicken is a popular Chinese take out, and it’s no surprise! Loaded with spicy chicken, peanuts, vegetables in a delicious Kung Pao sauce. This easy, homemade Kung Pao Chicken recipe is just as good, if not better! Plus it’s healthier and lower in calories.
Don’t be put off by the list of ingredients in this recipe because they are all really simple, and many of the sauce and marinade ingredients cross over. It’s really easy and could be a staple weeknight meal. Crunchy, sweet, spicy and oh so delicious!
How To Make This Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe – Step by Step
In a bowl, whisk together the marinade/sauce ingredients. Place the chicken in a separate bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons of the marinade over the chicken and mix together. Reserve the remaining sauce for later.
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 from the chicken from the pan and set aside on a clean plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add in the onions, cooking for a few minutes until soft. Stir in the ginger and garlic, cooking for a minute until fragrant. Stir in the peppers, chicken, peanuts, and remaining sauce. Stir fry until the sauce thickens.
Serve with rice and a sprinkle of chopped green onion.
What Is Kung Pao Chicken?
Kung Pao Chicken is from the Sichuan province in China. The Chinese name is 宫保鸡丁 (gong bao ji ding) but some restaurants spell it as Gong Bao Chicken or Kung Po Chicken.
A Delicious Kung Pao Sauce!
Kung Pao Sauce is the (not so) secret ingredient to this Kung Pao Chicken recipe. The sauce is brown in color, mildly spicy and dangerously addictive. It tastes salty, sweet and vinegary. The sauce is a mix of soy sauce, sugar, water, corn starch and vinegar – simple and delicious!
Can You Freeze This Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
You can freeze this by storing it in an airtight container or freezer bags, once it has fully cooled. Store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw, take it out of the freezer the night before and place it in the refrigerator. The next day when ready to serve, either heat it up in the microwave and add it to a skillet/wok and stir-fry until heated through.
Top Tips For This Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
- Serve this is over cooked rice such as Jasmine rice or Basmati rice. You could also serve it over noodles.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can just reheat in the microwave for a couple minutes before serving.
- If the sauce tastes too salty, add some more sugar and water. If it’s not salty, add a little salt to taste.
- You can use rice vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Check Out These Other Delicious Asian Inspired Dishes
Have you tried this Easy Kung Pao Chicken recipe? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the Marinade/sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 1/2 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 of 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
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 knob 1-inch ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the marinade/sauce ingredients. Place the chicken in a separate bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons of the marinade over the chicken and mix together. Reserve the remaining sauce for later.
- 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 from the chicken from the pan and set aside on a clean plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add in the onions, cooking for a few minutes until soft. Stir in the ginger and garlic, cooking for a minute until fragrant. Stir in the peppers, chicken, peanuts, and remaining sauce. Stir fry until the sauce thickens.
- Serve with rice and a sprinkle of chopped green onion.
Carlos Castro says
Love it. Soo goood.
Thank you so much for the recipy
Well done!
Becky Hardin says
I’m so glad you love it!!
Helen Betts says
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.
Becky Hardin says
I hope you try it again and switch it up to your likings 🙂
Holly says
This turned out amazing! I will definitely being making it again.
Becky Hardin says
Thanks, Holly! I’m glad you enjoyed it!!
Matt B says
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!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by!