Make Kung Pao Chicken at home with tender chicken, crunchy peanuts, chili peppers, and a spicy homemade sauce. This one-pan recipe is ready in just 30 minutes, and pairs perfectly with steamed rice for a quick, flavorful meal.
This Kung Pao Chicken recipe gives a spicy, dry chicken stir-fry dish made with tender chicken, crunchy peanuts, colorful vegetables, and my flavorful homemade Kung Pao sauce.
I love how the sauce clings to every piece of chicken. Each bite is full of delicious, spicy-sweet flavors that remind me of my favorite Chinese restaurant.
This dish originates in Sichuan Province in China. It is also called Gong Bao Chicken. In this recipe, chicken is stir-fried with ginger, garlic, dried red chilies, vegetables, peanuts, and the sauce.
Quick Look: Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4 Calories: ~380 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Marinate the chicken → prepare Kung Pao sauce → sauté garlic, ginger, and dried chilies → add chicken and vegetables → stir-fry until chicken is golden and cooked through → toss in peanuts and sauce.
- Spice Level: Medium to hot
- Flavor Profile: Sweet and Spicy
- Difficulty: Easy-Medium, great for weekend meals
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Disclaimer: AI summaries may contain errors. Please check the original Kung Pao Chicken recipe for accurate steps.
Why you'll love this recipe!
- Quick & Easy: Ready in just 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights, just like my garlic butter chicken bites.
- So Flavorful: Tender chicken, crunchy peanuts, and delicious, spicy-sweet sauce that I love in every bite.
- Simple Ingredients: Made with things you already have at home, I have substituted a few complex ingredients with easy-to-find ones. Believe me, there is no compromise on flavor. It tastes equally delicious.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredients, quantities, and a printable version.
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into cubes for this recipe. If you prefer darker meat, boneless chicken thighs work too. Sometimes, I use them as they stay extra juicy.
- Sichuan peppercorns: For an authentic Kung Pao flavor, Sichuan pepper adds that signature light numbing kick I really enjoy. You can easily find it online. If you don't have it, a mix of freshly ground black pepper and crushed coriander seeds works nicely as a simple substitute.
- Dried Red Chilies: You can use any variety. Always deseed them. The spiciness of red chilies varies. So, add it as per your taste.
- Vegetables: I have used red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and onions. You can add any vegetables you like. You can add carrots or broccoli.
- Peanuts (unsalted & roasted): The dish is a classic combination of chicken & peanuts. But if you want to substitute peanuts, use cashews.
- Cornflour/Cornstarch: It helps to thicken the kung pao sauce and is gluten-free. To substitute, you can use tapioca starch.
- Sesame oil: Gives the best flavor. You can substitute it with olive oil or any cooking oil you have.
- Chicken broth (or water): It adds depth and enhances the flavor. If you don't have broth, use water. I often do that and stir in a chicken bouillon cube to give it the same richness.
- Rice vinegar: You can substitute it with white wine vinegar.
- Soy sauce (Both light & dark): Light soy sauce adds saltiness, while dark soy sauce gives a deeper flavor and that classic restaurant-style color. No dark soy? Use regular soy sauce. I like using low-sodium soy sauce. Tamari or Coconut Aminos can be used as a substitute.
- Brown sugar: Optional. It balances the spicy & tangy flavor. You can substitute it with white sugar or honey.
- Shaoxing wine: Substitute with Mirin or dry sherry. Skip if you do not have it.
Variations
- Add veggies: Add carrots or broccoli while stir-frying.
- Make it with King prawns: Kung pao prawns taste equally delicious.
- Make it vegetarian: A vegetarian version can be made with Tofu.
How to make Kung Pao Chicken
Step 1: Making the Kung Pao sauce: In a small bowl, combine chicken broth, Sichuan peppercorns, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Keep it aside.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken with 4 tablespoon of the kung pao sauce. Cover and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and let it cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Stir and cook the chicken until it is cooked. Do not overcook the chicken. Remove it to a plate. Keep it covered.
Step 4: In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, dried red chilies, and spring onion whites. Stir fry it for 30 seconds.
Step 5: Next, add red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and onions. Stir and cook it for 4-5 minutes.
Step 6: Re-whisk the kung pao sauce and pour it into the pan. Cook until the sauce thickens. If the sauce is too thick, add 2-3 tablespoons of water and stir.
Step 7: Add the chicken back to the pan and combine it with the sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the peanuts and green onions. Serve it with steamed rice.
Tips to make the best Kung Pao Chicken
- Cut the chicken pieces evenly, so they cook evenly.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes because the longer it marinates, the better it tastes.
- Stir-fry the chicken on medium-high heat until the outside is crispy.
- Use roasted peanuts for the best crunch, and roast them ahead if needed.
- Give the sauce a quick stir before adding it, then keep mixing until it thickens, adding a little water if it becomes too thick.
Recipe FAQs
Classic Kung Po chicken (in China) is spicy, but the Americanised version (as in this recipe) is sweet, salty, and mildly spicy.
Kung Pao chicken is better than General Tso's chicken. To make Kung Pao chicken, the chicken pieces are pan-seared on high heat, but in General Tso chicken, they are deep-fried. Also, adding vegetables and peanuts makes Kung Pao chicken more nutritious than General Tso's chicken.
Kung Pao Chicken tastes great with steamed rice, egg fried rice, or these garlic chili oil noodles. You can also serve it with Mediterranean roasted veggies on the side for a complete meal.
Recipe Card
Kung Pao Chicken recipe
Video
Equipment
- Heavy bottom pan
Ingredients
For sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon sichuan peppercorns crushed, substitute black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine (or any cooking wine)
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium preffered)
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil optional
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch/ corn flour
For stir fry
- 400 grams boneless chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
- a pinch of salt optional
- 2 teaspoon oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 spring onion whites, finely chopped
- 2-3 dried red chilies, deseeded
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- ¼ cup peanuts (roasted and crushed) roasted and crushed
- spring onion greens
Instructions
Preparations
- For making Kung pao sauce - In a small bowl, combine chicken broth, sichuan peppercorns, shaoxing wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil and cornstarch. Keep it aside.
- Marinate the chicken with 4 tablespoon of the kung pao sauce. Cover and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
For making kung pao chicken
- Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat.
- Add the chicken and let it cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Stir and cook the chicken until it is completely cooked.
- Remove it on a plate. Keep it covered.
- In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.
- Add ginger, garlic, dried red chilies, and spring onion whites. Stir fry it for 30 seconds.
- Next, add red bell pepper, green bell pepper and onions. Stir and cook it for 4-5 minutes.
- Re-whisk the kung pao sauce and pour it in the pan.
- Cook until the sauce thickens.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and combine it with the sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Add the peanuts and green onions.
- Serve it with steamed rice.
Notes
- Dried red chilies - Before adding dried red chilies always deseed them. It reduces the spiciness of the red chilies. Red chilies differ in spiciness so add them according to taste.
- Cut the chicken breast uniformly - It ensures that all the chicken pieces are cooked evenly.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or more. The longer it marinates the better it tastes. Transfer it to an airtight container & keep it in the refrigerator to marinate for more than 30 minutes.
- Use roasted peanuts - It’s better to pre-roast the peanuts separately & then add them to the stir-fry.
- Stir-fry the chicken on medium-high heat. It will make the chicken crispy outside and keep it nice and juicy inside.
- Before adding sauce to the pan, give it a quick stir. The cornstarch in the sauce settles at the bottom.
- After adding the sauce, stir it continuously until the sauce thickens. If the sauce is too thick, add some water and stir.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Samaira Naik
One of the best dish I have ever tried.
Preeti
Glad you liked it.