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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.
Very tasty and good directions!
The best!!! I followed the recipe to a “T” except for tripling the sauce, and adding sliced red peppers. Seriously, the very best Kung Pao Chicken I have had, including restaurants. Served over the recommended “fluffy” rice. FAMILY LOVED IT!! By the way, this is my first review, that’s how good this is!!
Based on all the reviews, I have to wonder what I missed?? Followed the recipes and while it was good, it needed more flavor and sauce. Added broccoli and some zucchini. Will make it again and doctor it.
Made this tonight, absolutely exquisite.
This is SO delicious and easy to make! I love mine extra spicy so I added diced jalapeno and other vegetables I had on hand. Thank you for such a fabulous recipe.
Wow! This was delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and was very pleased with the result! Thank you so much for sharing!
I’ve been trying other kung pao chicken recipes and nothing turns out quite right until I found yours.
I and my husband are a fan of Kung Pao Chicken. We always order this dish every time we go out for Chinese food. Finally I’ve tried this last week and my husband said ” oh this is good”. 🙂
Just made it and it is wonderful! A friend of mine from China told me the first rule of Chinese cooking was cook what you have. I did that hear with the vegetables. Added 2 carrots, 2 bunches of broccoli. I was out of ginger so left it out ☹ but otherwise followed the recipe. It is wonderful!
Love this recipe! Absolutely delicious. I made one small tweak-I added more chili paste. I have a pretty dull sense of smell, so adding a bit extra really put this over the edge for me. I was honestly skeptical of the marinade-I’ve never made an Asian marinade before, and the few ingredients just sounded kind of odd to me, but I was 100% wrong. When I was taking the chicken out of the marinade, it smelled absolutely wonderful.
I’m going to preface my one negative comment with THIS IS A GREAT RECIPE! But, if I could give this a 4.9 I would, because this doesn’t really taste like Kung Pao chicken I’ve had in the past. I would more call it a very good stir fry. This is definitely not a sweet dish, but it’s maybe a touch sweeter than I feel Kung Pao should be? BUT! As that preface says, it really is delicious and I fully intend to make it again. Thank you for this!
Things I’d like to try: I’m not the biggest peanut fan so I have two ideas- 1) less peanuts. I think they are wonderful in this dish, but I maybe wanted 1/2-3/4 the amount of peanuts in it; or 2) maybe a touch of peanut butter in the sauce? Maybe put in 1/2 the peanuts and MAX a 1/4 cup (probably less-1/8 cup? Tablespoon?) peanut butter. The second one I’m particularly curious what you (or anyone) thinks about this idea
Sorry for the maybe slightly disjointed review, but thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Cheers,
David
Absolutely delicious!! Thank you!