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This best, easy Kung Pao Chicken recipe is better than takeout with stir-fried chicken, crunchy peanuts, and green onions tossed in a homemade kung pao sauce. It's on the table in about 30 minutes.
Easy Kung Pao Chicken in 30 minutes.
Kung Pao Chicken is hands-down my most-ordered dish at any Chinese restaurant, so naturally we make it at home all the tome. This recipe has perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory, the satisfying crunch of peanuts, and that glossy sauce that makes you want to lick the bowl. It comes together in about 30 minutes, which means I can skip the takeout wait and have it on the table faster than delivery.
And if you want an even more truly authentic Kung Pao Chicken recipe, check out Red House Spice or China Sichuan Chinese food recipes!
Try my other Chinese-inspired recipes, like Lettuce Wraps, General Tso's Chicken, Chow Mein, Sweet and Sour Chicken, and Black Pepper Chicken!
How to make Kung Pao Chicken:
Make Marinade and Sauce: In two separate bowls, make the chicken marinade and the sauce ingredients. Set the sauce aside. Add the chicken to the chicken marinade and set aside.
Sauté Peanuts: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to wok or frying pan and heat to medium. Add red pepper flakes and peanuts and stir-fry until peanuts are golden (about 2 minutes). Remove peanuts and pepper flakes to a bowl.
Cook Chicken: Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to the pan and bring heat to medium-high. Use a slotted spoon to scoop half of the chicken (allowing excess marinade to drip off) into the hot pan, in a single layer. Cook chicken for 1-2 minutes on each side, flipping only once, until golden (chicken does not need to be completely cooked through).
Finish Stir-Fry: Add ginger, bell peppers or other vegetables, green onion and peanuts to the pan. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the sauce and stir for a few minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and the sauce begin to slightly thicken. Remove from heat and serve with hot cooked rice. If you love this recipe, try my Kung Pao Shrimp!
Kung Pao Chicken
Equipment
- wok , or
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, , cut into small pieces
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, (or more to increase spiciness)
- 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, , chopped
- 6 whole dried Szechuan Peppers*, , optional
Marinade:
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 large egg white
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Kung Pao Sauce:
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoon chili paste with garlic, (or use sriracha hot sauce mixed a little minced garlic)
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3-4 cups hot cooked rice, , for serving
Instructions
- Make Marinade: Combine chicken marinade ingredients in a bowl then add chicken to the marinade and set aside.1 Tablespoon rice vinegar, ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce, 1 large egg white, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Make Sauce: Stir together sauce ingredients then set aside.2 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, 2 teaspoon chili paste with garlic, ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 Tablespoon rice vinegar, 3 teaspoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- Stir Fry: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a wok or frying pan and heat to medium. Add red pepper flakes and peanuts and stir-fry until peanuts are golden (about 2 minutes). Remove peanuts and pepper flakes to a bowl.1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ½ cup dry roasted peanuts
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and bring heat to medium-high. Use a slotted spoon to scoop half of the chicken (allowing excess marinade to drip off) into the hot pan, in a single layer.
- Cook chicken for 1-2 minutes on each side, flipping only once, until golden (chicken does not need to be completely cooked through).
- Remove chicken to the bowl with the peanuts. Repeat with cooking remaining chicken. Return peanuts and chicken to the pan. Add dried peppers, ginger, bell peppers or other vegetables and green onion. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, 1 red bell pepper, 6 whole dried Szechuan Peppers*, 2 green onions
- Add the sauce. Stir, and cook for a few minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and the sauce begin to slightly thicken.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve with hot cooked rice.3-4 cups hot cooked rice
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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*I first shared this recipe in April 2013. Updated July 2018 and February 2022 and March 2026.
Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma Cookbook.
Just bought all the ingredients for less than $35.00. Way less then we normally spend on Chinese takeout. Our grocery store didn’t carry the paste so we went with the siracha. Chicken is marinading & the sauce smells delicious. Can’t wait!
How can you make this with tofu or tempeh? Have you tried it with either as substitutes for chicken? Woukd you still use egg? I prefer not to use any chicken or egg. Thoughts?
I haven’t tried this with tofu, but I would not use the egg, and use extra firm tofu. Hope you enjoy it!
A go to recipe in our family! We absolutely love it and make it often when family is in town visiting. It’s delicious!
I tried this recipe a little while ago and I found that it was not quite as authentic as I had hoped. I liked it okay but felt that it needed more. Upon further research I found that it lacks some of the main ingredients that Kung Pao chicken requires. You definitely need dark and light soy sauce, black vinegar, and Shaoxing wine (chinese rice wine). These ingredients are hard to find unless you go to an Asian market or even use the internet. Total game changer in the flavor department.
Tried this, its delicious, even better the next day!
Family favorite! I love how easy and authentic this recipe is. Thanks for sharing.
We love homemade Chinese food and this was amazing! It was so easy and fresh. Will be making again soon.
This is the BEST homemade Chinese food recipe I’ve ever tried. Seriously good.
This meal has become a family staple! We love it. I cheat and freeze my ginger root and grate it (peel and all) when its time to add it to the dish. It still tastes fresh and helps with throwing dinner together on a busy night insead of heading to the store for just some of the ingredients.
Thanks so much Kendal! Love the idea to freeze the ginger root! Genius.
I actually chop the entire root in a food processor and then freeze it in ice cube trays (I have a little 1tsp one) and totally still tastes fresh
OMG!!! Made this yesterday for lunch….amazing!!!! My husband raved over it and then shared his leftovers with friends at work and everyone was asking for the recipe. Wishing I had more of it right now! Another one of your recipes to keep in my rotation!
This is one of Jeff’s favorite too! Love it! Thanks for commenting, I seriously love hearing what you try 🙂