Kung Pao Chicken is the ultimate stir-fry experience. It is loaded with delicious flavor from tender marinated chicken, bell peppers, green onion, and peanuts in a sweet and salty, slightly spicy sauce that leaves you licking your plate. This recipe rivals even your favorite Chinese restaurant.
We absolutely love to stir fry around here. It is fun and easy to prepare and chock full of vegetables and lean meat. There are so many things that can you do with stir fry, and it is amazingly easy. Oh, and did I mention how delicious stir-fry dishes are? Veggies taste so much better when they are cooked crisp-tender.
You can make stir fry at home for a fraction of the cost of takeout from Chinese Restaurants, and you are in control of the ingredients. Are you in a hurry? Are you and the family trying to catch a movie? Cut your veggies ahead of time and store them in the fridge covered with slightly damp paper towels.
What is Kung Pao Chicken?
It is tender pieces of chicken, sweet red and green bell peppers, green onion, peanuts, and red chilies in a tasty salty, sweet sauce. Serve over white rice, brown rice, or Chinese noodles. Going low carb? Skip the rice or noodles and go with zoodles (zucchini noodles).
How to make Kung Pao Chicken
First, in a medium bowl, whisk together the Shaoxing Wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Add the chicken pieces and marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes while you work on cutting vegetables, mixing the sauce ingredients, and cooking the chicken.
Now in a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, balsamic vinegar, hoisin sauce, granulated sugar, water, and cornstarch. Set it aside for a few minutes.
Then heat a little vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer without crowding. Cook the chicken until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until golden brown and cooked through. Plate the chicken and cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm.
Add a little more vegetable oil to the skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook for 1 minute. Then reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, ginger, dried chilies, green onions, and peanuts, cooking for 1 minute and stirring constantly. Whisk the sauce ingredients 1 more time and add them to the skillet with the veggies. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently. Add the cooked chicken to the skillet, toss to coat, and warm for a couple of minutes, for best results, serve promptly.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Use oil with a high smoking point, like canola, peanut, or vegetable oil. Get the skillet or wok fairly hot.
- Don’t crowd the wok or skillet. Cook in batches and plate the chicken and vegetables. If needed, cook in batches.
- Garlic can not be cooked at high heat as it will burn. Add it to the skillet with a larger group of vegetables that are done or almost done. Turn the heat down for a minute and cook, stirring constantly.
- Substitute 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for the dried red chiles if your store does not carry them.
- Stir fry moves very fast and needs your full attention. So have everything you need in close proximately.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave at reduced power.
More Stir Fry Recipes
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- Chicken Marinade
- 1 ½ tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- Sauce
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Stir Fry
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2-4 dried red chilies seeded and chopped
- 4 green onions cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the Shaoxing Wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Add the chicken pieces and marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, balsamic vinegar, hoisin sauce, granulated sugar, water, and cornstarch. Set it aside for a few minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer without crowding. Cook the chicken until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until golden brown and cooked through. Cook in batches. Plate the chicken and cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm.
- Add 1 tablespoons vegetable oil to the skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, ginger, dried chilies, green onions, and peanuts, cooking for 1 minute and stirring constantly.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients 1 more time and add them to the skillet with the veggies. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently. Add the cooked chicken to the skillet, toss to coat, and warm for a couple of minutes, for best results, serve promptly.
Video
Notes
- Use oil with a high smoking point, like canola, peanut, or vegetable oil. Get the skillet or wok fairly hot.
- Don’t crowd the wok or skillet. Cook in batches and plate the chicken and vegetables. If needed, cook in batches.
- Garlic can not be cooked at high heat as it will burn. Add it to the skillet with a larger group of vegetables that are done or almost done. Turn the heat down for a minute and cook, stirring constantly.
- Substitute 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for the dried red chiles if your store does not carry them.
- Stir fry moves very fast and needs your full attention. So have everything you need in close proximately.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
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Colleen
This recipe is just as good as a restaurant version. Definitely a keeper. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Colleen!
Kristine
I was searching around for one-pan recipes and found this. I’m so glad I did – it’s easy and delicious. We all loved it. I’ll make this again, thanks!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kristine! I am so happy that everyone loved it!
Kechi
What a yummy and delicious chicken recipe. My entire family loved this recipe; we had it with quinoa. YUM!!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kechi!
Tayler
I made this king pao chicken for dinner last night and OMG was it amazing! A new favorite in our house!
Ned
SOOO good! I even made it in my cast iron skillet and it was amazing. Thank you for this awesome recipe. It will be going on my regular rotation.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Ned! So glad that you like the Kung Pao Chicken.
Marie
Wow! Great recipe. So tasty and the whole family loved it. Thanks so much for sharing.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Marie! I am glad that they liked it,
Allyson Zea
This was amazing and just one skillet!!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Allyson! So glad that you liked it!
Sandra
This was a huge hit for dinner last night! So delish!