Best Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Our Kung Pao chicken recipe features juicy chicken and bell peppers coated in a homemade ginger and garlic sauce for a flavorful dish that cures the craving for Chinese takeout.

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Prep Time40 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Servings6

Kung Pao Chicken – a Chinese take-out classic that’s bold, saucy, and downright addictive. This dish is all about big flavors: tender chicken pieces tossed in a tangy sauce with a kick of spice, a hint of sweetness, and the crunch of roasted peanuts. It’s the ultimate balance of savory, sweet, sour, and spicy. It’s fast, easy, and tastes 1000x better than takeout.

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Our #1 Tip: Don’t crowd your pan. Cook your chicken in batches, if needed. This step is crucial for replicating authentic restaurant-style Kung Pao Chicken. A proper sear locks in the marinade’s flavor and creates a slightly caramelized surface, which enhances the dish’s overall taste.

What’s In Kung Pao Chicken:

• Proteins: Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Pantry Staples: Cornstarch, granulated sugar, peanuts
• Spices & Seasonings: Sichuan peppercorns, chiles de árbol, ginger paste, roasted garlic paste
• Oils, Sauces & Vinegars: Dry sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar
• Fresh Produce: Red bell pepper, green bell pepper, green onions

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of dry sherry: Substitute dry white wine.
• Instead of ginger and garlic pastes: Substitute finely minced fresh ginger and garlic.
• Instead of Sichuan peppercorns: Substitute ground black pepper.
• Instead of chiles de árbol: Substitute cayenne pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Making Kung Pao Chicken

Tips For The Marinade

• Taste the marinade before adding the chicken to ensure the balance between the soy sauce (salty) and sugar (sweet) is just right. If it’s too salty, add a little more sugar or a splash of water. If it’s too sweet, a dash more soy sauce can help.

• Don’t skip making the cornstarch slurry – it’s easy! Just ensure the cornstarch is fully dissolved to avoid clumping. The cornstarch in the marinade helps to tenderize the chicken and gives it that silky, restaurant-quality texture.

• Cut the chicken into uniform 1-inch chunks to ensure even marination and cooking. Then, toss the chicken in the marinade thoroughly to ensure each piece is well coated. Using your hands or a pair of tongs helps to get every piece evenly seasoned.

• Marinate the chicken for about 30 minutes. Avoid overnight marination, as the acidity can start to break down the chicken too much, affecting its texture.

For The Sauce

STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon dry sherry, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, sugar, rice vinegar, ginger paste, garlic paste, Sichuan peppercorns, and remaining cornstarch/water slurry. 

STEP TWO: Remove stems and seeds from the bell peppers and discard. Discard the white parts of the green onions.

STEP THREE: Cut bell peppers into 1-inch chunks and slice green onions into 1-inch sections.

For The Chicken

STEP FOUR: Drain the marinating chicken and discard the liquid.

STEP FIVE: Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the drained chicken and sauté until browned on all sides and the meat is white and cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Cooking The Kung Pao Sauce

STEP ONE: Add 1 more tablespoon of sesame oil to the skillet. Add the bell peppers and dried chili peppers. Sauté for 1 minute.

STEP TWO: Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet with the peppers and onions and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.

STEP THREE: Add the cooked chicken, green onions, and peanuts to the pan and sauté to warm all ingredients through.

STEP FOUR: Serve immediately.

How to Serve Kung Pao Chicken

For a simple option, try serving the chicken with brown rice or noodles, which are perfect for soaking up the flavorful sauce.

If you’re looking for something with a little more crunch, consider adding stir-fried vegetables such as green beans or snow peas. And if you want to balance out the heat of the dish, a refreshing tomato cucumber salad would do just the trick.

If you’re looking for a couple more Chinese takeout-inspired chicken dishes, be sure to try these two. Both this crockpot orange chicken and this firecracker chicken recipe are bursting with tangy flavors and super easy to make!

The Best Way to Store This Chicken Dish

Leftovers? No problem—Kung Pao Chicken stores like a champ.

• Fridge: Transfer the cooled chicken to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.
• Freezer: This dish is freezer-friendly! Store in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Just make sure to let it cool completely before freezing.

Reheating Tips

• Stovetop: Reheat in a skillet or wok over medium heat, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen up the sauce. Stir until heated through.
• Microwave: For quick reheating, pop it in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, covered, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until piping hot.

Pro Tip: If you know you’ll have leftovers, save the peanuts separately and toss them in just before serving again—they’ll stay nice and crunchy!

Next time you’re tempted to order from your favorite Chinese takeout restaurant, you might want to think twice.

With this simple and delicious Kung Pao chicken recipe, you can make your own flavorful dish, right from the comfort of home.

This will definitely hit the spot, and it’s even better than takeout. It’s also fantastic over fried rice.

What Is Kung Pao Chicken?

Kung Pao chicken is a popular Chinese stir-fry dish made with diced chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and a spicy sauce. The dish originated in the Sichuan Province of China and is known for its bold flavors and spiciness.

Kung Pao Vs General Tso Chicken

Kung Pao chicken is similar to General Tso’s chicken in terms of its origins and ingredients; however, the two dishes have distinct flavors. Kung Pao chicken is typically spicier and has a more complex flavor profile than General Tso’s due to the addition of Sichuan peppers and certain other spices.

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Homemade Kung Pao Chicken

5 from 4 votes

Our Kung Pao chicken recipe features juicy chicken and bell peppers coated in a homemade ginger and garlic sauce for a flavorful dish that cures the craving for Chinese takeout.

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

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Ingredients

  

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• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry, divided in half (you can substitute with apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar)
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided into 1 tablespoon and 3 tablespoons
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided into thirds (plus more as needed)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water, divided in half
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste, or finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon roasted garlic paste, or finely minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 3 green onions, plus more for garnish if desired
• 8 to 10 chiles de arbol
• ½ cup peanuts

Instructions

 

Marinade

• Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks and pat dry with a paper towel
• Whisk together 1 tablespoon dry sherry, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry. Whisk until the marinade is thoroughly combined. 
• Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and toss to combine. Set aside in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.

Sauce

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon dry sherry, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger paste, garlic paste, Sichuan peppercorns, and remaining cornstarch/water slurry.
• Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers and discard them. Discard the white parts of the green onions.
• Cut the bell peppers into 1-inch chunks and slice green onions into 1-inch sections.

Cooking The Chicken

• Drain the marinating chicken and discard the liquid.
• Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add drained chicken and saute until browned on all sides and the meat is white and cooked all the way through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

Cooking The Sauce

• Add 1 more tablespoon of sesame oil to the skillet. Add the bell peppers and dried chile peppers. Saute for 1 minute. 
• Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet with the vegetables (peppers and onions) and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. 
• Add the cooked chicken, green onions, and peanuts to the pan and saute to warm all ingredients through.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

• The cornstarch slurry is used to thicken up the sauce.
• There is some mild-medium heat and spice in this dish, mainly from the chiles and the Sichuan peppercorns. For more heat, saute the peppercorns and/or the chiles for a bit longer before adding them to the sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 765mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 953IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

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