Quick & Easy Kung Pao Chicken
Tender chicken stir-fried in a sweet and savory sauce with bell peppers, scallions, peanuts and dried chilies. This quick and easy kung pao chicken is ready in 30 minutes and it's better-than-takeout! A great main for the family to enjoy! Recipe Updated: May 5, 2025. Note: My version is not spicy but it has a numbing sensation due to the ground sichuan peppercorn. If you don't like this sensation, omit it completely. If you want to make this spicy, add 1 tsp of red chili flakes to the sauce.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 8 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs (or chicken breast)
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper (large diced )
- 5 green onions (chopped into 1/2-inch-long pieces)
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts (unsalted (or sub with salted peanuts or roasted cashews))
- 10 whole dried Sichuan red chilies
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
- 3 tablespoon water (room temperature / cold)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or tapioca starch / potato starch)
- 1 teaspoon regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
- 2 tablespoon white granulated sugar (or cane sugar)
- 2 tablespoon water (room temperature / cold)
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (or vegetarian stir-fry sauce)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or Chinese black vinegar / apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or potato starch / tapioca starch)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sichuan peppercorn (optional)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- 1
Dice chicken thighs into 1.5-inch cubes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Marinate diced chicken with the marinade ingredients as listed above for 15-30 minutes at most. Do not over marinate.
- 3
In a small bowl or cup, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above until sugar has dissolved and set aside.
- 4
Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry marinated chicken until cooked and golden, about 5-6 minutes in total. Remove the chicken and leave the residual oil in the pan for the next step.
- 5
Stir-fry dried red chilis, green onions and peanuts for 15 seconds. Toss in red bell peppers and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- 6
Toss in cooked chicken, followed by the sauce. Stir fry for 30 seconds until chicken is evenly coated in sauce. Serve and enjoy!