Kung Pao Chicken – quick and easy chicken stir fry packed with veggies and a little kick. Add whatever veggies you want and have dinner ready in minutes!
When I am struggling with what to make for dinner, I think Asian food is my go to. Something like Garlic Beef Noodle Bowls comes together in minutes, and my family loves it. Plus you can add any veggies you want, and make it even better for you. Five Spice Pork Lo Mein has been on repeat for about 10 years at our house.
When I first started blogging I shared this recipe for Kung Pao Chicken, and the Asian obsession kind of started. Now Chicken Lo Mein is kind of a staple. So today I am updating the pictures, and sharing this recipe with you again.
I completely forgot about this kung pao chicken until I was looking through some of the old recipes on my site. I made it for lunch one day, and I am really mad at myself I haven’t been making it all these years. It is so good. The sauce is sweet and spicy, and perfect over rice. You can use whatever veggies you have in this dish.
My husband would love this with green pepper, I think it would be great with broccoli as well. I settled on zucchini and mushrooms, and I have to stay it was pretty darn good. Plus, the Kung Pao Chicken uses pretty staple ingredients, so you can make it any night of the week.
What is Kung Pao Chicken?
It is stir fry Chinese dish with chicken, peanuts, and veggies in a spicy sauce. You can add whatever veggies you like or have on hand, which is part of the reason I like this. If I have zucchini, I will throw it in. A little broccoli, perfect just use it.
This kung pao chicken recipe is one of my favorite weeknight meals for how quickly it comes together. You can easily adjust the heat level for your families taste. My family likes things spicy, so I go a little heavy with the chili garlic paste. But if you like it mild use less.
Is Kung Pao Chicken Spicy
Yes, it is meant to be spicy. You can adjust the heat level to make it more mild if that is what you like. But traditionally it has a kick!
Does Kung Pao Chicken Have Peanuts
Yes, it is topped with peanuts. If you have a peanut allergy you can leave them off or add other chopped nuts. But peanuts are traditional to have on top. We actually had a version of this when in China and it was served with whole peanuts on top, not chopped like I use at home.
How to Make Kung Pao Chicken
- Make sure all of your ingredients are prepped and ready. Have your veggies cut, meat ready, and everything in place. Stir frys cook quickly, so having everything prepped and ready makes it quick and easy to prepare.
- Mix all of the ingredients for the sauce together before you start. Use a liquid measuring cup to make it easy.
- Use a wok or very large skillet. Make sure the pan is nice and hot before you add ingredients.
- Brown chicken and then remove from pan to keep warm. Cover it with foil to keep it warm. You want to cook the veggies and the chicken separate, so the chicken doesn’t get over cooked while you saute the veggies.
- Add everything to the pan and let the sauce simmer and thicken.
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Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 5 Tbls white wine or chicken broth, divided
- 5 Tbls soy sauce, divided
- 2 Tbls sesame oile, divided
- 2 Tbls cornstarch, divided
- 2 Tbls water, divided
- 1 Tbls chili garlic paste
- 3 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 6 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups vegetables, chopped
- 1 small can water chestnuts
- 1 Tbls garlic, chopped
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- chopped peanuts, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large zip top bag, combine 2 Tbls wine or chicken broth, 2 Tbls soy sauce, 1 Tbls oil, and 1 Tbls cornstarch dissolved with 1 Tbls water.
- Add chicken. Toss to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the sauce. Mix together 3 Tbls wine or chicken broth, 3 Tbls soy sauce, 1 Tbls oil, 1 Tbls cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbls water, chili paste, vinegar, and sugar. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the marinated chicken. Brown the chicken for 4-5 minutes, or until it is cooked. Remove from pan, cover with foil to keep it warm.
- Reduce the heat to medium high heat. Add vegetable oil to the pan. Mix in veggies and cook for 4-5 minutes, until crisp tender. Mix in garlic and water chestnuts. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add chicken back to the pan. Pour sauce over the chicken. Mix and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Serve immediately over rice topped with green onions and chopped peanuts
Notes
Adapted from All Recipes
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per ServingCalories 317 Saturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 72mg Sodium 1177mg Carbohydrates 20g Fiber 1g Sugar 6g Protein 27g
Erin S
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Layne says
January 19, 2019 at 6:46 pmYum, my whole family will love this. I can’t wait to make it for dinner next week.