The BEST Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken is the perfect weeknight dinner. It’s loaded with saucy chicken and veggies and is delicious over fluffy white rice. Skip ordering takeout, save some money, and make it at home.
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Kung Pao Chicken is loaded with veggies, protein, and the most amazing sauce, plus it’s made all in one pan! This is perfect for those nights when you don’t want to do a ton of dishes.
Hi there! My name is Natalya and I run the blog Momsdish. If you already follow me, you know I can’t get enough of easy meals that require simple ingredients. My family loves ordering in from our favorite Chinese restaurant, but making our go-to dishes at home has become an obsession.
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
So, what exactly is Kung Pao Chicken? Traditionally, it’s a stir-fried, chicken dish that is tossed with peanuts, green onions, Sichuan peppercorns (Szechuan peppers), and dried chiles. The end result is a dish that is a bit sweet and a bit sour, with a nice punch of heat.
While you could get away with only using the above-mentioned ingredients, it’s also common for restaurants to add in some veggies. Bell peppers are great additions like we did with our Beef Stir Fry. Feel free to add broccoli, bok choy, zucchini or eggplant as well.
Note: Szechuan peppers are sold in most Asian markets. If you are not able to find them, that’s totally fine, just use a few extra red chilies.
Velveting the Chicken
Never heard of “velveting” before? It’s a marinating process Chinese chefs use to lock the moisture into the chicken that is going to be cooked over hot, stir-frying temperatures. Here’s everything you need for the Chicken Marinade:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
- Salt and pepper
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Dry sherry
- Cornstarch
Toss your chicken cubes in the above marinade ingredients and set aside for 10 to 30 minutes. When you go to add your chicken into the stir-fry pan, the coating acts as a protective shield against the heat. This results in ultra-tender and juicy chicken!
Kung Pao Sauce
Prepare your sauce while your chicken is undergoing the velveting process. Simply whisk together the following ingredients and set aside the sauce until you’re ready to drown your chicken in it:
- Chicken stock
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Chinese black vinegar or great quality balsamic vinegar
- Dry sherry
- Dark soy sauce
- Hoison
- Sugar
- Corn starch
When you are ready, pour the sauce directly over it and bring it to a simmer. This process will help the flavors meld together and thicken the sauce.
How to Make Kung Pao Chicken
- Combine the Chicken Marinade ingredients together. Add cubed chicken to the marinade and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
- Prep all your veggies. This recipe moves quickly, so having them ready to go smoothens the process!
- Combine all the Kung Pao Sauce ingredients together using a whisk. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, set it aside.
- Preheat a large skillet with oil. Add chicken and cook until all sides turn golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Using the same pan add garlic, ginger, bell peppers, and dried chilies. Cook for about 3 more minutes.
- Add in the sauce. Bring it to a simmer and allow it to cook until the sauce thickens. Add chicken back to the pan, toss to combine everything together.
- Add in peanuts and green onions. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve right away.
A Few More Asian Dishes:
We love re-creating takeout favorites like this Kung Pao Chicken, and homemade is always better because you know exactly what goes into the meal. If you love Asian recipes, don’t miss the recipes below.
- Chow Mein – Chicken chow mein is a great meal prep dish.
- Sweet Sour Chicken – with juicy pineapple, bell peppers, and onions.
- Chicken Stir Fry – an easy, 30-minute dinner
- Yakisoba Noodles – perfect for quick dinners and busy weeknights
- Lo Mein – all about the sauce, this dish will surely win your over.
Kung Pao Chicken
![Kung Pao Chicken in skillet](https://natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Kung-Pao-Chicken-2-160x160.jpg)
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Dry Sherry wine, or Chinese Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp oil
Kung Pao Sauce
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, or balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dry Sherry wine, or Chinese Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Stir Fry
- 4 tbsp oil, for frying
- 6 red chilies, chopped roughly
- 1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger
- 4 large garlic cloves, about 2 tbsp pressed garlic
- 6 green onions, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- 1 tsp sesame seeds, optional, garnish
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-size cubes. Combine the Chicken Marinade ingredients together. Add chopped chicken and let it sit for at least 10 minutes to tenderize.
- In a separate dish, combine the Kung Pao Sauce ingredients together. Whisk until cornstarch is dissolved and the sauce is smooth then set aside.
- Preheat a wok or a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add chicken and cook on medium-high until it's golden brown and almost fully cooked. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pan. Add chopped bell peppers, pressed garlic, grated ginger and dried chilies. Toss it together in a pan and stir fry for 4 minutes.
- Add the prepared Kung Pao Sauce to the pan, stir everything together. As soon as the sauce starts to thicken, add chicken to the pan. Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Add chopped green onion, peanuts, and sesame seeds, then stir to combine.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Hello, I’ve never had this dish before but dying to try it. My son has a peanut allergy. How important are the peanuts to this dish and any suggested alternatives?
Thank you so much for your great recipes. Just ordered your book too!
I’m excited for you to get your copy! IF you wanted to substitute with another nut, cashews would work great too!
Made this tonight for my husband and I and he is still raving! So good! Cooked as designed and it was very tasty.
Hi Susan! That’s fantastic. I’m so glad you both loved it! Thanks for the feedback.
Hi Natasha! I LOVE your recipes! I used them often! Could you make a video of this one please? 🙂
Hi Samantha! I’m glad you’re enjoying them. Thank you for the suggestion.
Hi, just wondering what kind of roasted peanuts to use in this recipe. Just regular roasted peanuts in the shell or what? Thanks in advance.
Hi David! You can find roasted peanuts, ready to eat without the shell.
I have a lot of fresh thai chilis, how many should I sub for dry?
Hi Sara! I’m not sure. I found this on Google if it helps, “one pound of fresh peppers will give you approximately 4 ounces of dried chiles, so one tablespoon of chile flakes is about 4 times as potent as one tablespoon of freshly-chopped chiles.” You can experiment with it and add to your preference.
I just can’t see eating Kung Pao Chicken without Sichuan pepper. How much would you add to this recipe and where would you add it?
Hi Scott, we left it out due to preference, but you can totally add some to taste and preference!
Made it and added waterchestnuts. Diced Broccoli, sliced carrots, diced green beans. And gently chopped cashews in place of peanuts. Turned out delicious.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
Hi, looks like a great recipe. While I know Kung Pao Chicken is spicy, how spicy on the scale of spicy is this.
Thanks
Hi Ali! This recipe is pretty balanced with sweet, sour, spicy, and savory flavors but it does have a nice kick to it.
Really good! Just not sure how big one serving is for the calorie count. Any update?
Hi Cortney! This recipe serves 6. Sorry, I don’t have the exact quantity. You’ll have to measure it evenly or weigh the recipe whole and divide that by six.
I didn’t add sugar and I’mglad I didn’t. It was perfect without the extra sweetness added
That’s great! Good to know that you liked the results!
Where can I find dark soy sauce and what brand do you recommend that is also low sodium. Thank you
A local Asian market may be the best place to find it. Dark soy sauce will give you a more authentic flavor, but it should still work with regular soy sauce instead if you can’t find it. Dark soy sauce is usually less salty than regular so add more salt to taste if needed.
I want to try this weekend, where can I buy the dark soy soy sauce. Thank you
A local Asian market may be the best place to find it. Dark soy sauce will give you a more authentic flavor, but it should still work with regular soy sauce instead if you can’t find it. Dark soy sauce is usually less salty than regular so add more salt to taste if needed.
I made this tonight! YUM! It was fantastic! Love your recipes!
Great to hear, Theresa! Thank you for the feedback.
Hi Natasha, this looks so good! We don’t use any alcohol in our food. What would be a good substitute for the wine. Will use the balsamic vinegar and not black vinegar if that affects the choice of wine substitute.
Thanks!
I haven’t tried this without wine yet but I imagine using chicken broth as a replacement should also work but the flavor wouldn’t be the same.
Just FYI, we have alcoholics, and the families who are very careful about not serving alcohol in our home. However, the alcohol in the wine cooks out, so it is not a problem. Just saying since I don’t know why you’re not using alcohol and cooking. The wine has a very definite flavor that is ‘Kung pao chicken’. you can leave it out or substitute, but it will change the ultimate flavor.
Hi there! Looking forward to trying this recipe tonight! As a mom with a toddler, I try to prep as much as I can during her nap time, which is typically about 4 hours before we cook dinner. Can I marinade the chicken and have the sauce prepped and in the fridge for that entire time? Thank you!
Hi Brittany! I think that would be fine. 🙂
I’ve made this over a dozen times, and never have any leftovers! Only change I’ve made is using mini sweet peppers because red chilies is not an easy find where I live. LOVE this recipe!!!
So glad to hear that. Thank you for the wonderful review.
Love your recipes and videos! On this particular one, though, I was a little confused. The description mentions dried red chillies and Szechuan peppercorns, but the ingredients list says “red chillies” implying fresh, and the peppercorns are not included at all. Just seeking clarification. Thanks!
Hi Nrao, we used dried red chilies! Traditionally peppercorns are used; as mentioned in the recipe description, you’re welcome to add them! I hope that helps!
Hi there, love all your recipes!
Have you made this with beef? Would you follow the same recipe?
Hi Crystal, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe!
Thank you so much for all your Recipes I see a new one I print it out.
That’s awesome Rudy! This comment made my day!
Had to comment, this is the 5th or 6th recipe I have tried from Natasha’s kitchen. Every single one has been fantastic. This was the best yet, tasted better than the kung pao from the local Chinese takeaway!
Thanks so much for your recipes!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles!
If one doesn’t have fresh chilies on hand, sambal works like a charm. Really good stuff. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Darrah, you’re welcome! And thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi! This recipe is amazing!!!
thanks for this blog!
Regards from Mexico
I’m so happy you’re enjoying my blog and recipes, Ross! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
This was delicious but was a little too salty. I did use low sodium soy sauce. How could I make and reduce sodium more?
Hi Renee, it’s hard to say without being there, but ensure your broth is also low sodium. I hope you give this another try soon!
You’re right. This is the best sauce! I find myself looking for larger bottles of the sauce ingredients when I go to the store, so I don’t run out. That Kung Poa chicken is next on my list. Thanks so much.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Dave!
Thank you so much for the recipe!
This recipe is very delicious 😋
You’re welcome, Natalya. I hope you will love all the recipes that you will try!
Made this for family dinner tonight. Youngest (11) said it might be his new, favourite dish! 🙂
Will def make again, next time with Shanghai noodles he says.
Lovely to hear! Thanks a lot for sharing that with us, Kevin.
Very delicious. However, I only used 2 chicken breasts (16 OZ), one entire broccoli head and regular soy sauce instead of Low sodium. The flavour was not too salty for us with these changes, just perfect. Thank you.
I’m so glad it was perfect! Thank you for your fantastic review!
Natasha, my husband and I had a date night last night and made the Kung Pao, and although I didn’t have a couple of the ingredients, I substituted and it was FANTASTIC. So much better than take-out! You ROCK, girl!!
Isn’t it the best! I’m so glad you loved this King Pao, Jessie!
I recommend the chicken thighs. I used them and it turned out tasty.
Thanks for your recommendation, Aleksandra. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha! I’ve been wanting to make that recipe for a while now and I bought all the ingredients long time ago except for the Dark Soy Sauce! I can’t find it anywhere and I don’t like ordering any food items on Amazon. Any idea where i could find it? Could it have a name different from dark soy sauce? Or does it have to specifically say dark soy sauce? Thanks!
In a pinch, you could sub with regular soy sauce, make sure you are not using low sodium soy sauce.
Excellent Kung Pao. It was quite spicy and still everyone devoured their dinner. Next time I will not chop the peppers. I did add a tsp pf Szechuan peppercorns. These don’t add all that much heat but they add a lot of umami.
Sounds like a good plan, Dennis. Thanks for sharing your feedback with us, we appreciate it!
Is it okay to leave the chicken in the marinade longer than 30 minutes? (To prepare a couple hours ahead). What do you suggest should be the time limit to marinade?
Hi Ellen, it may be okay to marinade it a bit longer, I would keep it in the fridge.
This was really good and very easy to make. The big people enjoyed this a lot… the little people don’t like spice, so they got chicken and rice :). Thank you!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Hi Natasha! My sister and I made this recipe for dinner today. It was a delicious dinner for us. We served it over brown rice. The sauce was divine. Thank you so much for the recipe Natasha! We have enjoyed making your recipes. They have always been good for our family 😋
You’re welcome Zoie! I’m so happy you enjoyed that.
Hi Natasha,
What can we use instead of fry sherry or wine in the recipe?
Hi Sana, I haven’t tried this without wine yet but I imagine using chicken broth as a replacement should also work but the flavor wouldn’t be the same.
I have been using mirin and I think the taste is the same
What is Mirin?
Natasha,
Would boneless skinless chicken thighs work in this recipe?
Hi Irina, I imagine that would work too. Please share with us how it goes if you try the recipe!
Hi Natasha, When do you add the Szechuan peppercorns in the Kung Pao recipe? I love your recipes!
Thank you so much!
Hi Deanne, if you’re using them you can add them with all the veggies.
This recipe is delicious and easy! My husbands favorite. We like to add white onion and sugar snap peas to the mix as well. SO GOOD!
Oh yum! That sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I’d love to try this recipe but would you be able to suggest a non-alcoholic substitute for the cooking wine please?
Hi Zahra, I haven’t tried this without wine yet but I imagine using chicken broth as a replacement should also work but the flavor wouldn’t be the same.
absolutely love it
Thank you so much for sharing that!
I made this recipe and it is wonderful, better than restaurants! Thanks! Have told many friends about your web site. And love your humor 🤗
I’m glad you loved it, Toni. Thank you for sharing!
Too salty, but everyone ate it.
Hi Cathleen, make sure to use low sodium soy sauce which makes all the difference in saltiness.
It is a great recipe. I’ve made and my family was in awe. Based on their comments, the dish was better than take-out!!! Thank you Natasha. Truly fabulous recipe with amazing flavours🌞
You’re welcome, Sylvia! Thank you so much for this wonderful review. It sounds like you found a new family favorite!
Great recipe. Marinade, then sauce is the magic I think. I used cashews, 1/2 the garlic, and added some mushrooms and steamed carrot pieces to the peppers. Family LOVED this dish. Thank You!
You’re welcome, Barbara. I’m happy you enjoyed that.
Just finished two plates, I guess that’s all you need to know…..bhahahahah
Isn’t it the best!! I’m glad you enjoyed ALL of it!
looks good so far, about to put it on the plate. I love your receipes.
Enjoy! I hope you love this recipe!
What can you do if you don’t have hoisin sauce and don’t want to go to the store to find it?
Hi, I haven’t tried this without hoisin sauce but hoisin does add so much great flavor – it would be hard to substitute.
Sounds like keeper – I’ll try it w/a few “tweaks” – I’ll definitely be using Sesame oil, however. It brings Asian dishes to an all together different level.
PS Been a fan since you & your husband very first started!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes, Barb! Thank you for that wonderful feedback!
Made this last week and we loved it. My husband said that its a “keeper”!
Made this tonight for dinner and it was a hit. Will definitely make again. Thank you Natasha! Love your recipes!!
Yay, so wonderful to hear that. Thank you, Erin!
I don’t have Dry Sherry wine or Chinese Shaoxing wine, will it be okay if I leave it out? Or can I sub it with something else.
I love all your recipes, I am so happy to have found you.
God Bless you
Hello Monica, I haven’t tried this without wine yet but I imagine using chicken broth as a replace should also work but the flavor wouldn’t be the same.
Use Morin, you can find it at Wal-Mart or any Asian market
I made this last night for dinner. Loved it! Thank you Natasha for another Home-run! The only downside to my dish was the blanched peanuts I used from the Asian market were quite bitter, they’re the kind of peanuts one cooks with and not the kind that you enjoy by just munching. Anyway, these type of peanuts need to be cooked, and as I just threw them in at the last minute they retained most of that bitterness. I will make this again and either use a different peanut or cook them with the chicken or peppers. I only mention this to help others, and this in no way reflects on Natasha’s great recipe. This is a keeper, I have it in my “Natasha’s Kitchen Recipe Folder”.
Hello Steven, thank you for sharing your experience in making this recipe. We appreciate you sharing that info about the peanuts as well, it is so helpful. I’m glad you loved this recipe!
hi, the next time you use cashews, you will definitely be better.And otherwise all the recipes we tried from Natasha were excellent:)))
Do you use fresh red chiles or dried? Not sure I can get the small, fresh red chiles in the stores around here.
Dried chiles were used in this recipe, Vicki.
Hi Natasha – this looks a great recipe that I will make tomorrow. Can you clarify what sugar I should use ?
Hi Chris, we used granulated white cane sugar. We have it linked to the printable recipe card for you.
I made the Kung pao chicken. It was amazing. Thank you. I added pea pods, mushrooms, water chestnuts, & the rest of the ingredients in the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Marian!
when I add the chicken to the kung pao sauce, do I discard the marinade or add that to the sauce as well.
The whole chicken mixture is added to the pan, no need to drain it.
Natasha,
Can I use chicken tenderloins in this recipe, instead of the breast?
Hi Irina, boneless chicken works best here but I imagine that will work too.
Excellent!
Thank you!
This sounds amazing! And I actually have all of the ingredients without a trip to the store, except dark soy sauce. Can I get away without it? or sub?
Hi Jean, Dark soy sauce will give you the more authentic flavor, but it should still work with regular soy sauce instead. Dark soy sauce is usually less salty than regular so add it to taste.
Can I leave out the hoisin sauce?
I am not sure what dried red chilies are. Can I leave them out?
Hi Jenny, I haven’t tried this without hoisin sauce but hoisin does add so much great flavor – it would be hard to substitute that. Dried red chilis can sometimes be found in the Hispanic food section of the grocery store if that helps.
I made the Kung Pao Chicken today for dinner. My family and myself loved it. Thank you for sharing. I did add some Sriracha to spice it up some.
Thank you for that wonderful feedback Pamela! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe!
I made this last night and the family loved it. I used Shaoxing wine, balsamic vinegar, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, etc. except I used regular soy sauce and chicken broth instead of the low sodium version called for in the recipe so I thought it was a tad salty. Next time I will adjust the amount and also add a little sesame oil.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Yuri!
It was amazing even that I didn’t have some ingredients, still was perfect thank you
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Klaudia! Thank you for this amazing review!
Can you suggest a “great quality balsamic vinegar?” What kind do you buy? My head spins when I read all the articles about and I come away not knowing what to buy. It’s so expensive that I hate to make a mistake.
Hi Sara, I look for one that says “of Modena” and I have been using this balsamic vinegar lately which I am enjoying.
I was taught by some Germans who have traveled the world that true Modena vinegar only comes in a certain small size bottle. Unfortunately everybody puts Modena on it but it’s not authentic. Hope that helps love your recipes
I went to Costco and found the Kirkland name brand. It’s their “aged balsamic vinegar” or Modena. Delicious for many other recipes. I even use it as a salad dressing with spinach leaves, tomatoes and mozzarella. It truly is GREAT quality! My husband likes dipping sourdough bread in it too!
Thank you for sharing that with us Stefania!
A recipe without quantity is of little use. Am I missing something?
Hi Russ, we have all quantities listed on the printable recipe option towards the bottom of the recipe post.
Hi Natasha the recipe looks delicious n I’ll cook it when I get the chance when I buy the ingredients. Is there any chance that I could opt out the wine sauce? Is there any substitute for wine to add?!
Hello Heidi, I haven’t tried this without wine yet but I imagine using chicken broth as a replace should also work but the flavor wouldn’t be the same.
I LOVE this simple kung pao chicken recipe! This is my favorite dinner recipe when craving take-out.
Isn’t it simply the best!!
One of the best dishes hands down!! Super flavorful, easy, & the chicken & veggies are so tender & juicy!
I am so happy to hear that you loved the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing your great review.
Thank you for this wonderful review, Kristyn! It really is the BEST!
Tried this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! Way better than the restaurant version; hands down delicious!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this Kung Pao Chicken Sara! Thank you for your lovely comment!
One of my all-time favorites, the flavors in this really POP!
Thanks Kimberly! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!