Kung Pao Chicken
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Kung Pao Chicken, a Chinese takeout favorite, features tender chicken, crunchy peanuts, and vibrant veggies in a bold, savory sauce—and it’s ready in just 30 minutes for an easy weeknight meal!
Kung Pao Chicken is a beloved Chinese restaurant dish traditionally made with ingredients like Sichuan peppercorns, Chinese black vinegar, rice wine, and dried red chilies. While these can be found at Asian markets, I wanted to create a version using staples available at most large supermarkets—and I couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out! This simplified kung pao chicken recipe still captures the bold, signature flavors of the original and comes together quickly. Pair it with white rice, and dinner is done.
For more Chinese takeout favorites you can easily recreate at home, check out my recipes for fried rice, cashew chicken, and orange chicken—they’re just doable and satisfying!
“Better than take out!”
What You’ll Need To Make Kung Pao Chicken
- Soy sauce – Adds savory umami flavor to both the marinade and sauce.
- Dry sherry – While Chinese cooking wine is traditional, dry sherry is a great substitute that’s more readily available and offers a similar rich, slightly sweet depth of flavor.
- Cornstarch – Creates a coating that locks in the chicken’s moisture during cooking, preventing it from drying out and ensuring it stays juicy and tender. Additionally, it helps thicken the sauce, giving the dish a smooth, glossy finish.
- Chicken – Chicken tenderloins are ideal—they are easy to work with and naturally very tender—but boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used as well.
- Balsamic vinegar – Used as a substitute for Chinese black vinegar, it provides a similar tangy sweetness and depth to the sauce.
- Hoisin sauce – Brings a touch of sweetness and savory depth to the sauce.
- Sesame oil – Adds a nutty, toasty flavor to the sauce. Look for toasted (Asian) sesame oil, which is dark in color and nutty in flavor, not the light, untoasted variety.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – Adds a kick of heat; adjust to your taste for a milder or spicier dish.
- Ground ginger – Adds a warm spice and aromatic note to the sauce.
- Vegetable oil – Neutral cooking oil that allows the other flavors to shine while giving a nice sear to the chicken and veggies.
- Red bell pepper and Celery – These veggies add color, sweetness, and crunch to the stir-fry.
- Garlic and scallions – Together, they provide a fragrant, aromatic base for the stir-fry, with the garlic adding bold flavor and the green onions bringing a fresh, mild onion note.
- Peanuts or cashews – Adds crunch and a nutty richness that complements the savory sauce and chicken.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
Since the chicken needs to marinate for 15 minutes, get that started first. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, chop the bell pepper, celery, scallions, and garlic. With stir-fries, having all your ingredients prepped beforehand is crucial because the cooking process is quick and leaves no time for chopping as you go!
In another medium bowl, prepare the sauce by whisking together all of the sauce ingredients: balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, red pepper flakes, ground ginger, and water.
Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the bell pepper, celery, and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the veggies are slightly softened and starting to brown. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and set aside.
Add another half tablespoon of oil to the pan and crank up the heat. Toss in half the chicken—just be sure not to crowd the pan—and let it brown on one side.
Flip the chicken pieces and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, just until they’re cooked through. Transfer them to the bowl with the peppers and celery. Add another half tablespoon of oil to the pan, then cook the remaining chicken until golden on one side. Turn the chicken pieces over and cook for 1 minute. Add a bit more oil to the pan, along with the garlic and scallions.
Cook for about 30 seconds. Then add the reserved vegetables, chicken, and sauce to the pan.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 30 seconds, until the chicken and vegetables are warmed through and the sauce has thickened, and then stir in the nuts.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, and serve with rice. Enjoy!
More Chinese Chicken Recipes You May Like
Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1½ lbs chicken tenderloins (or boneless skinless chicken breasts), cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) pieces
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, best quality such as Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (use half the amount for a milder sauce)
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅓ cup water
For the Stir-fry
- 2½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 5 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup whole roasted unsalted peanuts or cashews
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare the sauce: In another medium bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until the cornstarch is dissolved (it can stick to the bottom of the bowl so be sure to scrape it up).
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat. Add the bell pepper, celery, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and set aside.
- Add an additional ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan and set over high heat. Add half of the chicken (it's important not to crowd the pan) and brown on one side, about 1½ minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and continue cooking for about 1½ minutes more, or until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the peppers and celery. Add another ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the remaining chicken and cook until golden on one side, about 1½ minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and cook for 1 minute. Add ½ tablespoon more oil to the pan, along with the garlic and scallions, and cook, stirring with the chicken, for about 30 seconds more.
- Add the reserved vegetables and reserved chicken to the pan, along with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken and vegetables are warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Stir in the nuts. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve. (Note: the sauce will thicken as it sits; thin it with a few tablespoons of water, if necessary.)
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This was SOOOOOO good. I will have to start doubling this so there will actually be leftovers next time. Thank you for sharing this!!
This is one of the most delicious dishes that I have ever tasted, period!!!! My family couldn’t stop gushing about it, including my toddler who is not too keen on sauce-based dishes.
The cherry on top was how quick n easy it was to make and the fact that it used staple pantry ingredients. I did go out to buy the Hoisin sauce and after tasting the dish, all I can say is I’m never going to be without it.
I used red wine vinegar in place of dry sherry, made 1.5 times the sauce and used 1 pound chicken for my family of 3.
Thanks Jen for this amazing 10-star recipe!! It’s an experience our tastebuds aren’t likely to forget anytime soon.
This is the first recipe from Jenn which was only a few months ago and our family is hooked. We made this for friends and they said “I didn’t know you could cook”. Ha ha ha! I use chicken thighs
We made this for the first time this week, and it was a massive hit. Our family has a rating scale for recipes, and this got the top marks from everyone! Thanks Jenn!
I made this dish tonight. I added some Thai hot peppers because we like it spicy. It was soooo good! I’ll definitely make it again and be sharing the recipe! Love Once Upon a Chef recipes!
Hello Jenn,
This dish sounds wonderful. I could not find chicken tenderloins. Would chicken breasts work?
Your recipes always turn out perfectly!
Thank you.
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne, so glad you like the recipes! The chicken won’t be quite as tender but will still be good. Hope you enjoy!
I did this one, my family love chicken. So I have to cook it in different ways. We enjoy it.and they like trying new recipes. Thank you!! Again. You make cook so much fun. I my self LOVE cooking so I am always looking for new recipes. Thanks for the help!!
The spice and sauce proportions are excellent. I have added some broccoli, chopped small, and served it over soba noodles.
I was so happy to try this recipe. We recently moved to an area that sadly does not have good Chinese restaurants. I made this for diner last night and my husband and I enjoyed it so much. The sauce is wonderful – flavorful without being too spicy. This dish will go into my rotation.
I love this dish, very yummy and easy to make. I doubled the sauce and added some broccoli at the end. I’ve made this about three times in the last month (:
Wow! This recipe was soooo good. The sauce was great – a wonderful combination of flavors and sweet/spice. I made this for the first time for dinner night with friends (I know that makes you nervous Jenn but I trust your cooking!!). I loved how I was able to prep everything and then finish off the cooking while they were here. I’ve done this with the cashew chicken recipe as well and decided to branch out last week – glad I did!
This recipe was a hit!