Kung Pao Chicken is the ultimate stir-fry experience. It is loaded with delicious flavor from tender marinated chicken, bell peppers, green onions, and peanuts in a sweet and salty, slightly spicy sauce that will leave you licking your plate. This recipe rivals even your favorite Chinese restaurant.
Learn how to make an authentic and delicious Kung Pao Chicken dish at home with this step-by-step recipe. It includes the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and savory flavors.
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. If you like this recipe try, easy chicken stir fry, Hunan chicken, and chicken and broccoli stir fry.
What is Kung Pao Chicken?
It consists of tender pieces of chicken, sweet red and green bell peppers, green onion, peanuts, and red chilies in a tasty, salty sauce. Serve over white rice, brown rice, or Chinese noodles.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Shaoxing Wine: or dry sherry
- Soy sauce: preferably low-sodium
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Balsamic vinegar: or, if you can get it, Chinese black vinegar
- Hoisin sauce: often referred to as Chinese ketchup but more flavorful
- Vegetable oil: or canola oil
- Dried Red Chiles: they are the spicy ones you see in spicy Asian takeout. They are usually in the produce section with the other dried peppers.
- Peanuts: use dry roasted unsalted or salted
How to make Kung Pao Chicken
This is the nutshell version. The full recipe with ingredient quantities and instructions is in the recipe card below.
Mix the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and marinate for about 30 minutes. Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set them aside.
Cook the chicken in a large skillet with a little oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Plate it and cover it to keep it warm. Add a little more oil to the skillet. Add the bell peppers and cook over medium-high 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 and add them to the skillet with the veggies. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently. Add the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat and warm.
Preparation Tips
- Use oil with a high smoking point, such as canola, peanut, or vegetable oil. Heat 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 should 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.
Storage and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can be reheated over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave at reduced power.
More Stir Fry Recipes
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1½ tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
Kung Pao 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
Kung Pao 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, such as canola, peanut, or vegetable oil. Heat 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 should 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.
Nutrition
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Melanie E
Oh yum, my daughter and I loved this recipe. It was hearty, flavorful, and easy to make. It was one of best Asian dishes I have had in quite some time.
Nicky
I love stir fry and this kung pao chicken was the best. I think it is my new favorite! I loved the sauce and so did my husband. Thanks for the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
You are moste welcome, Nicky!
Selena
I love this this kung pao chicken 🍛🔥 So simple and flavourful, and one skillet makes cleanup a breeze. Chicken, peanuts, sweet, spicy and savoury sauce… you just can believe all the flavor. I am putting this on our regular monthly meal plan.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Selena! I am so glad that you and your family liked it.
Michelle
Whoa, this kung pao recipe was really yummy. The whole fam loved it. I have picky eater so I made white rice and zucchini noodles! Delicious either way.
Beth Pierce
I bet it was delicious over zucchini noodles!!
Octavia
I love chicken and bell peppers too! Adding peanuts was such a good idea. I think Kung Pao is my favorite new recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Octavia!
Lisa
This kunng pao chicken was so delicious and juicy. This is one of my favorite dishes. Two thumbs up from everyone in the family! A job well done!
Kim N
This Kung Pao Chicken was absolutely delicious! I love how it all comes together in one skillet—so easy and full of flavor! This was so good I am going to pass this recipe on to my sister.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kim! I hope she enjoys the recipe as much as you do!
Emmy
I love a good stir fry recipe! The sauce is so tasty and the dish is so healthy. So happy to find something that my family loves and I can feel good about feeding them.
Barrett
This should be called ka-pow chicken. It punched us right in the face with flavor when I made it last night. So good.
Kerrigan
This Kung Pai chicken is my husband’s favorite. I make it for him at least once a month and he love just as much each time. Thanks for the fabulous recipe!