• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Flavor Mosaic logo

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Creative Recipes
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Turkey
      • Vegetarian
      • Dinner in Under 30 Minutes
      • Slow Cooker
    • Desserts
    • Appetizers
    • Side Dishes
      • Grains
      • Legumes
      • Pasta
      • Potatoes
      • Vegetables
    • Soups / Salads
      • Green Salads
      • Pasta Salads
      • Potato Salads
      • Soup
    • Cuisine
      • American
      • Asian
      • Cajun
      • French
      • German
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican Recipes
    • Seasonal Recipes
      • Christmas
      • Cinco De Mayo
      • Easter Recipes
      • Fall Recipes
      • Game Day
      • Halloween
      • Holiday Baking
      • Holiday Leftover Recipes
      • July 4th
      • Mardi Gras
      • New Years
      • St Patrick’s Day
      • Summer
      • Thanksgiving
      • Thanksgiving Desserts
      • Thanksgiving Sides
      • Winter Recipes
    • Seasoning Mixes
  • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Instant Pot Beef Recipes
    • Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
    • Instant Pot Soups
  • Southern Recipes
  • Tex-Mex Recipes

Home » Creative Recipes » Main Dishes » Chicken » Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

BY: Michele
PUBLISHED: Mar 25, 2018
UPDATED: Aug 9, 2024
29 Reviews / 4.6 Average
Jump to Recipe
Pin SaveSaved!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Easy Kung Pao Chicken

This Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe is a quick and easy Chinese inspired recipe that can be ready in less than 30 minutes and makes a great weeknight meal to celebrate Chinese New Year or for any time of year.

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Table of Contents
  • Why You’ll Love Kung Pao Chicken
  • Ingredients For Kung Pao Chicken
  • How To Make Easy Kung Pao Chicken
  • Tips for Perfect Kung Pao Chicken
  • Recipe
  • Other Chinese Chicken Recipes
  •  
  • Reviews

Why You’ll Love Kung Pao Chicken

  • Easy – A quick and easy complete meal with chicken, vegetables, kung pao sauce, and rice in under 30 minutes;
  • Flavor – A restaurant quality Chinese dinner that tastes better than take-out, and is made using mostly pantry ingredients;
  • Sauce – An ahhhh-mazing sweet, spicy, and savory Kung Pao sauce.
Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Our favorite place for Kung Pao Chicken was a little family-owned restaurant near our house. We ate there for a number of years until the restaurant closed.

We tried several other restaurants afterward but their Kung Pao was not the same. We gave up trying to find another restaurant, and instead, now I make the Kung Pao Chicken at home.

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Ingredients For Kung Pao Chicken

Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

  • Sesame Oil – Can usually be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores.
  • Hoisin Sauce – This can also usually be found in the same aisle as sesame oil.
  • Balsamic Vinegar – A good quality balsamic vinegar makes a huge difference in taste and will not be too vinegary.
  • Soy Sauce – I like to use a low sodium version. However, you could also use coconut aminos, or Bragg liquid aminos, or teriyaki sauce.
  • Chicken – You’ll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces.
  • Cornstarch – This is to coat the pieces of chicken.
  • Bell Peppers – I like to use a combination of red, green, and yellow bell peppers to add more color to the recipe.
  • Minced Garlic – Mince fresh garlic, or use pre-minced garlic.
  • Peanuts – Omit if you are allergic to peanuts.
  • Green Onions – Optional as garnish.

I understand that you may not want to buy an ingredient just for one recipe, which is why I also recommend checking out some of my other favorite Asian dishes that use either Hoisin sauce or Sesame Oil:

  • Pepper Steak in Wonton Cups – a wonderful Asian-inspired bite-sized appetizer
  • Sticky Asian Chicken Wings – a sweet and spicy Asian-inspired chicken wings.
  • Spicy Orange Chicken – a chicken dish in a sweet and spicy orange sauce similar to a popular restaurant chain.
  • Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry – a quick and easy Asian stir fry that can be on the table in 20 minutes.
Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

How To Make Easy Kung Pao Chicken

Here are the basic steps to make this Easy Kung Pao Chicken. For more detailed instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card.

  1. Heat oil in wok or cast iron skillet.
  2. Dredge chicken cubes in cornstarch.
  3. Add chicken cubes to hot cast iron skillet and cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
  4. Add red and green bell peppers and cook until they are just tender.
  5. To make the sauce, in a bowl stir together hoisin, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes.
  6. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables in the pan. Cook until the sauce is thickened.

Tips for Perfect Kung Pao Chicken

  1. Use good quality ingredients for the best results.
  2. Don’t skip the cornstarch. Dredging the chicken in cornstarch makes it crispy.
  3. Use a good quality balsamic vinegar, one that is sweeter than regular vinegar. If you have one that is more vinegary, you may need to add some sugar to the sauce to offset the additional vinegar taste.
  4. I recommend using a lite soy sauce or one that is reduced-sodium because regular soy sauce is extremely salty and could cause the dish to be too salty.
  5. If you add more vegetables or like to pour sauce over rice, then you may want to consider doubling the sauce.

Don’t wait until Chinese New Year to make this recipe! It is so quick and easy and delicious that you can make it all year round and skip the Chinese takeout.

If you like this recipe, be sure to follow me on:

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Recipe

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Print Pin Save Saved! Share via Text
4.59 from 29 votes

Easy Kung Pao Chicken

Who needs takeout when you can make this easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe at home? Delicious sauce, flavorful chicken, & traditional nuts & vegetables. It’s also gluten-free!! 
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword Chinese Chicken Dinner, Easy Kung Pao Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Calories 302kcal
Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Ingredients

Meat

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes

Produce

  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 green bell pepper chopped
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • 1/4 cup peanuts roasted
  • 1/2 red bell pepper chopped

Marinade

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (good quality)
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch

Sauce

  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch

Baking & Spices

  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Oils & Vinegar

  • 2 tbsp Peanut or vegetable oil
US Customary – Metric
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl, stir in the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
  • In another bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved and set aside.
  • Heat peanut oil (or vegetable oil) in a wok or large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Add the chopped red and green bell peppers to the hot skillet and cook until they are softened. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger and continue stirring for about 1 minute. 
  • Add the chicken and continue stirring the chicken for about 4 or 5 minutes or until it is no longer pink.
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables and cook until the sauce is thickened.
  • Garnish with peanuts and chopped green onions. Serve hot over rice

Notes

I originally posted this Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe on PenneyLane.com as a contributor. However, that blog no longer exists, and this is the original recipe.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 771mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 749IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Other Chinese Chicken Recipes

Honey Garlic Chicken

Spicy Chinese Cashew Chicken

Easy Spicy Chinese Cashew Chicken

Slow Cooker Asian Sesame Meatballs

Slow Cooker Asian Sesame Meatballs by Flavor Mosaic

Sticky Asian Chicken Wings

Sticky Asian Chicken Wings

Spicy Orange Chicken

Spicy Orange Chicken

 

Filed Under: Asian, Budget-friendly, Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Recipes, Chicken, Chinese New Year, Comfort Food, Date Night, Dinner Recipes, Lunch, Quick and Easy, Resized Slider Photos, Stir Fry Tagged With: Asian Stir Fry, chicken

DISCLOSURE: Flavor Mosaic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Please note: This blog may contain affiliate links to products I use and love. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, to help with blog expenses when you make a purchase through an affiliate link. Thank you for your support!

Reader Interactions

Michele F - Owner / Founder / Creator / Blogger at Flavor Mosaic
Michele

Hi, I’m Michele Feuerborn, wife, and dog Mom, with 20+ years experience as a home cook. I’m the Founder of Flavor Mosaic, as well as the author and content creator. I share fast, easy, flavorful recipes with bold flavors, featuring Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes and Italian, Southern and Mexican cuisines.  Contact: [email protected].

Comments

  1. Vicky says

    May 27, 2018 at 11:08 pm

    I found your recipe on PInterest and I have a question for you. Nowhere in the recipe does it say when to add the green onion and peanuts. Can you clarify that please? I’m eager to try this! Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      May 28, 2018 at 5:30 am

      Hi Vicky, thanks for bringing this to my attention. I updated the recipe instructions. The peanuts and chopped green onions are added last, like a garnish, just before serving. Let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you enjoy the Kung Pao Chicken.

      Reply
  2. Heidi S. says

    August 2, 2018 at 4:01 pm

    We’ve made this recipe many times before and love it but I noticed this version of the recipe taken from the original website no longer includes the celery even though it is still pictured in the photos of the dish. I hope to make it again this week and can just add a stalk or two when making it but I was just curious as to why it was left out.

    Reply
  3. Ll says

    March 24, 2020 at 1:13 pm

    So….when do we add the ginger and garlic?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      March 24, 2020 at 1:18 pm

      After adding in the bell peppers and before adding in the chicken.

      Reply
  4. Sheila says

    December 10, 2020 at 9:15 pm

    I made this today and it was delicious. I used the directions as written. The notes above the recipe talked about coating the chicken with cornstarch and frying but the recipe called for the cornstarch to be added to the marinade, then fried. Were there two different sets of instructions?

    Reply
  5. Robin says

    January 17, 2021 at 10:14 am

    I made this recipe last night. At last I had good Kung Pao chicken! Delicious! Thank you for sharing

    Reply
  6. Sharmila Kingsly says

    August 6, 2021 at 7:29 am

    Looks beautiful just like how I see it in a restaurant.. I will be making some soon

    Reply
  7. Jacqueline Meldrum says

    August 6, 2021 at 8:30 am

    So quick and easy to make!,Perfect for a family dinner.

    Reply
  8. Natalie says

    August 6, 2021 at 10:04 am

    This looks and sounds delicious. My family loves kung pao. I will definitely give your recipe a try.

    Reply
  9. Beth says

    August 6, 2021 at 11:00 am

    Yummy! This was such a delicious and very tasty dinner! So excited to make this again. Everyone loved it and devoured it! Such great flavor and definitely one of our favorites!

    Reply
  10. Toni says

    August 6, 2021 at 2:43 pm

    This is such an amazing meal! Perfect for weeknights!

    Reply
« Older Comments
4.59 from 29 votes (20 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Michele F - Owner / Founder / Creator / Blogger at Flavor Mosaic

Hi, I’m Michele, a home cook with 20+ years experience. I created Flavor Mosaic as a place to share our favorite fast, easy, and flavorful creative recipes with bold flavors, including Southern, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and Instant Pot recipes.
Read More…

Follow Me

Follow FlavorMosaic on Facebook Follow @FlavorMosaic on Instagram Follow FlavorMosaic on Pinterest Follow @FlavorMosaic on Twitter Subscribe to FlavorMosaic's RSS Feed

Search Flavor Mosaic

Logos of websites that have featured recipes from FlavorMosaic.com

Newest Recipes

  • Instant Pot Braised Beef Short Ribs
  • Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl
  • Homemade Pie Crust (From Scratch!)
  • Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
Copyright © 2013-2025 Flavor Mosaic · All Rights Reserved. FLAVOR MOSAIC™ IS A TRADEMARK OF MICHELE FEUERBORN · Privacy Policy

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.