Kung Pao Chicken

This kung pao chicken is our copycat of the PF Chang's favorite, with tender chicken, crisp peppers, and crunchy peanuts in a sweet, spicy, glossy sauce. Faster than takeout and ready in one skillet in 30 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword Kung Pao Chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 407kcal

Author Jason Decker

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breasts diced into bite-sized pieces
2 & 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons Sambal Oelek chili paste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper 1/2 inch diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon ginger minced
12 dried red chili pods
1/2 cup peanuts
1/4 cup green onions chopped

Instructions

In a medium bowl combine the diced chicken with 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Toss to coat and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the sauce ingredients including the remaining soy sauce, water, brown sugar, oyster sauce, chili paste, and remaining cornstarch. Stir until everything is well combined. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until golden brown, around 5 to 7 minutes.
Next, add the peppers, fresh garlic, ginger, and dried chilies and continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until the bell pepper is softened.
Finally add the spicy kung pao sauce and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, cook until the sauce has thickened, around 4 minutes. Add the peanuts and green onions and cook for 4 more minutes.
Remove from heat and serve topped with more green onions and chili flakes if desired for garnish.

Video

Notes

Nutritional value is for kung pao recipe only, no side dishes.
If you want to add some chili peppers to this recipe you are more than welcome or you can add about 1 tsp red pepper flakes to spice it up.
Easily double this recipe for more guests.
You can make this with either chicken breasts or tenders, whatever you can find or have on hand.
Add different vegetables, we sometimes add broccoli and sugar snap peas as well to this chicken.
This can be frozen, see my tips above on how to do that.
Serve this over rice, noodles, in a lettuce wrap, as is or however you like.

Nutrition