Kung Pao Chicken

This homemade version of Kung Pao Chicken is inspired by the classic Asian restaurant dish made to taste tangy and sweet all in one dish. My Kung Pao Chicken recipe is better than any restaurant recipe you’ve ever tried before! It’s so easy to make and can be ready in 35 minutes! Made with fresh ingredients in a delicious sticky sauce that will quickly become a weeknight staple.

Our family loves Kung Pao Chicken because it’s a dish that is packed full of Asian inspired flavors that we always crave.  I always opt to make my homemade sauce recipe because any store-bought Kung Pao Sauce doesn’t compare to the flavors I use. The combination of flavors I use is authentic to Kung Pao Chicken but the flavor is outstanding compared to any Asian restaurant.  This recipe features a variety of easy to find grocery store ingredients so that anyone can make it at home.

Make from Scratch

Kung Pao Chicken is served with a variety of fresh vegetables and nuts. Over the years, I’ve had it served a number of ways but when I make homemade Kung Pao Chicken, I make it with red and green bell peppers, chili peppers, zucchini, Salad Ready Tomato Wedges, garlic, cashews, and green onions. Some versions include carrots and other vegetables but I really like to stick to this list of ingredients.

Kung Pao Ingredients

■ Chicken: I like to use chicken breasts for this recipe. Simply cut the chicken into bite size chunks. The chicken will cook much quicker.

■ Vegetables: Bell peppers, zucchini, red chili peppers, tomatoes, garlic, green onions. These classic vegetables add flavor and crunch.

■ Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a deep flavor to the dish. Tastes great sweetened with honey.

■ Honey: Sweetens the sauce and adds a nice flavor.

■ Cashews: Crush up cashews and garnish the dish with it.

■ Cornstarch: Turns the liquid into a thick sauce that coats the vegetables and chicken.

Better than Takeout!

Dinner doesn’t have to be complicated.  Some of my favorite meals are made in under 35-minutes and right now I can’t get enough of Kung Pao Chicken recipe. I made this as a healthy alternative to Chinese takeout that we normally get. At the start of the New Year, I decided I wanted to focus on healthier homemade recipes by recreating some of my favorite Asian restaurants inspired recipes and this Asian chicken recipe is currently our favorite. We love it so much that it’s part of our meal rotation calendar.

What makes Kung Pao Chicken different than other Chinese recipes is that it uses fresh vegetables and chili peppers. The combination of fresh bell peppers with fresh tomato wedges makes this traditional Chinese dish hearty and flavorful.

How to make Kung Pao Chicken

1. Prep: Start by prepping your chicken and veggies, and those fiery chili peppers (or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for the faint of heart). Don’t forget to drain those tomato wedges!
2. Marinate: Toss your chicken chunks in a mix of rice and balsamic vinegars and soy sauce, then jazz it up with cornstarch. This isn’t just marinating; it’s infusing your chicken with bold flavors that will tickle your taste buds.
3. Cook to Perfection: Heat some oil and brown your chicken. Remember, space in the pan equals crispiness; overcrowding equals soggy chicken. We don’t do soggy here!
4. Saucey Boss: Whip up your Kung Pao sauce while your chicken cooks. This is where the magic happens, turning simple ingredients into a sauce that’s the star of the show.
5. Veggie Saute: Flash sauté those veggies until they’re just picking up color—quick and hot for maximum flavor.
6. Mix: Bring the chicken and sauce back together in the pan. Let them simmer until the sauce is deliciously thick. Add in the veggies and nuts for that essential crunch.
7. Serve: Plate your masterpiece over steaming rice, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Intrigued?

The full recipe below includes all the tips and tricks you need to make this dish a knockout. Plus, there’s more where that came from—scroll down to discover how easy it is to create a restaurant-worthy meal right in your own kitchen.

Making White Rice

I once struggled with cooking rice, but now I can make restaurant-quality rice on demand. I’m excited to share my tips and tricks with you! For this recipe I would choose a long-grain jasmine rice. My favorite is Zatarain’s, but any brand will do. Make sure to follow the serving measurements on the packaging. They will typically tell you to do 2 parts water per 1 part rice. They will also suggest adding either oil or butter and salt. Make sure to have the ingredients recommended handy.

1. Wash the rice under cold water in a mesh strainer.
2. I prefer to use olive oil.
3. Depending on the recipe is when I would decide if I wanted to add salt. For this recipe I would not add salt due to the ingredients of our sauce.
4. Bring the water to a boil.
5. Once boiling add rice.
6. Reduce to medium and let cook. Typically it takes 17-20 minutes.
7. Make sure to stir at least 2 times to ensure rice does not clump and stick together.

Some Notes About Making Rice

If your fire is set to high, you will need to add additional water. If you add too much water, you will make the rice clump and stick together. It is best to regulate the heat and only use the High setting when trying to boil the water. Once you have added the rice make sure to not go higher than Medium.

Purchase a rice cooker. Rice cookers are basically a set it and forget it cooking instrument. I love ours and sometimes it is nice to be able to have a standalone product specifically for the rice.

The key to creating Kung Pao Chicken is to use fresh vegetables. A homemade sweet and tangy Chinese stir-fry sauce takes this recipe to the next level.

By creating a quick marinade then coating the chicken in cornstarch before adding it to a hot skillet allows the chicken to crisp. Once the Kung Pao Sauce and stir-fried vegetables get added to the skillet with the chicken, everything remains crisp without becoming soft or soggy.

Asian Inspired Recipes

For more Asian inspired recipes, try this Garlic Sesame Chicken. It’s a 5-star rated recipe that the whole family will love. For a healthy Asian recipe, try these Asian Garlic Sesame Chicken Lettuce Cups. You’ll love this Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe with a delicious honey garlic sesame soy sauce. Finally, serve this Kung Pao Chicken with Vegetable Fried Rice or Vegetable Lo Mein.

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken is a Chinese classic made with chili peppers and fresh vegetables in a spicy sweet sauce with nuts. Serve with cooked rice for a quick homemade Chinese dinner.

5 from 10 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Servings 5

Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2.5 pounds chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• ▢ 1 zucchini, diced
• ▢ 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed, diced
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, diced
• ▢ 12 small red chili peppers OR 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ 10 ounces Salad Ready Tomato Wedges, can drained
• ▢ 5 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 7 green onion stalks, diced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Marinade

• ▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoons soy sauce
• ▢ 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Kung Pao Sauce

• ▢ 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
• ▢ 1/4 cup soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ▢ 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
• ▢ dash of sesame oil
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ 1/4 cup cashews or roasted peanuts

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Instructions

 

• Dice zucchini, bell peppers, garlic, and green onions. Place in a bowl. Drain tomatoes from can then place in vegetable bowl; set aside.

  2. Cut chicken breasts into strips then cut into cubes. Place in large plastic bag or bowl. Add in wet marinade ingredients then toss together. Add cornstarch and shake to coat well. 

  3. Using 2 medium skillets, pour 1.5 tablespoons oil into each. Heat over medium heat. Add chicken to skillets. Be sure to not crowd skillets. It works best to use 2 skillets for this step as you don’t want the chicken to steam and become soft.

  4. Cook chicken until golden brown then flip chicken and repeat. This should take about 10-15 minutes, total.

  5. Meanwhile, make the Kung Pao Sauce. In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and whisk well to combine. 

  6. Remove chicken to small bowl. 

  7. In skillets, pour 1 tablespoon oil in each. Heat stovetop to high. Pour in vegetables and saute until it picks up color; about 3 minutes. Remove to bowl; set aside. 

  8. In a skillet over medium heat, add cooked chicken and Kung Pao Sauce. Cook sauce down by stirring until thick and just a few tablespoons of sauce remain. Stir in sauteed vegetables and nuts.

  9. Serve with cooked rice, green onions, and sesame seeds. 

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 53gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 1079mgPotassium: 1295mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1215IUVitamin C: 68.6mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 2.9mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.

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