Kung Pao Chicken
This kung pao chicken is surprisingly easy! Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in a delicious homemade Asian sauce with garlic, scallions, and peanuts. Skip the takeout and make it at home!
Kung Pao chicken, a classic Sichuan dish, is one of our favorite weeknight dishes, and it’s surprisingly fast and easy to prepare and cook. The recipe uses minimal ingredients, so there’s very little chopping or measuring required. Cooking is fast, too. You’ll have a flavorful stir-fried Kung Pao chicken in less than 30 minutes!
Kung Pao chicken includes marinated diced chicken stir-fried with peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, peanuts, and onions. Variations can consist of other meats, such as shrimp or pork. Westernized versions sometimes include orange juice and additional vegetables, such as bell peppers and carrots. This version is authentically made with diced chicken thighs and a classic sauce combination. The chicken is finished with green onions, garlic, and peanuts, all stir-fried and coated in a delicious Chinese sauce.
If you like it spicy, add one or two extra peppers. I used dried de árbol peppers. If you don’t have dried peppers, use crushed red pepper flakes, Thai bird chiles, or ground cayenne pepper.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Faster than takeout. Cooks in minutes once everything is prepped.
Big flavor. The sauce is salty, tangy, slightly sweet, and full of aromatics.
Juicy chicken. Marinated thigh pieces stay tender and flavorful.
Customizable heat. Adjust the dried chilies to make it mild or spicy.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken thighs – Boneless thighs stay tender and flavorful during high heat cooking.
- Cornstarch + water – Helps the marinade cling to the chicken and improves browning.
- Shaoxing wine – Adds depth; dry sherry works well as a substitute.
- Soy sauces – Light and dark soy add saltiness, color, and umami.
- Rice vinegar – Adds acidity to balance the sauce.
- Garlic & ginger – Key aromatics that build flavor.
- Dried red chilies – Use more or fewer depending on your heat preference.
- Scallions – Add savory flavor; the tops are used as a fresh garnish.
- Peanuts – Bring crunch and classic kung pao texture.
Steps to Make Kung Pao Chicken
- Marinate the chicken in the cornstarch-water mixture with wine, salt, and pepper.
- Stir together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Prep the aromatics — garlic, ginger, chilies, and scallions.
- Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry the marinated chicken until mostly cooked.
- Remove chicken and sauté the aromatics briefly.
- Return the chicken to the wok and increase the heat.
- Add the sauce mixture and cook until thickened.
- Stir in the peanuts and top with scallion greens before serving.
Tips
- Prep all ingredients before cooking — wok dishes move fast.
- Use chicken thighs for the best texture and moisture.
- Adjust chilies to taste; remove the seeds for a milder sauce.
- Toast the peanuts lightly for extra flavor.
Recipe Variations
- Make it mild. Use fewer chilies or omit them entirely.
- Add vegetables. Bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, or mushrooms stir-fry beautifully.
- Replace peanuts. Cashews make a delicious alternative.
- Use chicken breast. Works well if cooked quickly to prevent drying out.
What to Serve With Kung Pao Chicken
- Hot cooked rice is an excellent choice. You could also opt for noodles or cauliflower rice.
- For side dishes, sautéed baby bok choy is a quick and easy choice. Or serve it with sautéed spinach or sugar snap peas.
- A salad makes a nice side as well. Choose a simple tossed salad with a basic oil and vinegar dressing, or add some sesame oil for an Asian kick.
- This broccoli salad with miso and sesame dressing is an excellent choice.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the peanuts separate if you want them to stay crunchy.
Freeze: Freeze the cooked kung pao chicken for up to 2 months, but note that the peanuts will soften. Add fresh peanuts when serving.
Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat or microwave in short bursts, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil, or a neutral flavor oil
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine , or dry sherry
- Dash fine sea salt
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons sugar
For the Stir-Fry
- 5 large cloves garlic, mashed and coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger , grated, or ginger paste
- 2 dried red chilies, such as Tien Tsing or de Arbol, seeded and crumbled, or more
- 8 scallions, thinly sliced, light green and white parts separated from the dark green tops
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Sichuan peppercorns or black pepper
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil, or a neutral flavor oil
- 1 cup roasted peanuts, preferably unsalted
Instructions
- Put the chicken pieces in a nonreactive bowl or container.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the water with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of oil, wine or sherry, sea salt, and white pepper; whisk to blend the mixture thoroughly and pour it over the chicken. Cover the bowl and let it marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, light and dark soy sauces, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and the sugar. Whisk to blend and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, chilies, white and light green parts of the green onions, and the ground black pepper. Set aside.
- In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil over high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the marinated chicken. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok or skillet and lower the heat to medium-low. When the oil is hot, add the bowl of stir-fry ingredients (the garlic, ginger, chilies, light green and white parts of the green onions, and the black pepper). Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the wok or skillet and increase the heat to high. Stir-fry for 2 minutes longer.
- Whisk the sauce mixture again to blend and add it to the wok; stir fry until the sauce has thickened, about 1 more minute.
- Add the peanuts to the wok and transfer the kung pao chicken to a serving dish. Top with green onion tops, as desired.
- Serve the kung pao chicken with hot cooked rice and offer any remaining sliced green onion tops on the side.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
