While I love the convenience of a good takeout, I don’t always love handing over that kind of money…especially when I know I can recreate it at home. This homemade Kung Pao Chicken is just as satisfying, with a bold, tangy-spicy sauce, crisp-tender veggies, and that perfect balance of sweet, salty, and heat. You’ve also got the freedom to toss in whatever veggies you love (or need to use up!). I like to think of this recipe as a weeknight-friendly way to clean out the fridge and satisfy those takeout cravings in one go. 😉
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“I made this to pack for lunches this week because my husband was complaining there are no good Chinese lunch spots near his new office. Spice and delicious! Love love. Thank you for yet another awesome recipe!”
Sara
Easy Recipe for Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao chicken has so many delicious variations, with most of them tracing back to Sichuan cuisine in China. The authentic versions are layered, complex, and quite different from the sweet, sticky dishes you’ll find at most American Chinese restaurants. My version is definitely not traditional, but it is easy, packed with flavor, and incredibly satisfying. Think tender marinated chicken in a spicy-sweet sauce, crunchy peanuts, and crisp veggies, all layered on a bed of fluffy jasmine rice. YUM.
Budget Saving Tip
Buy your chicken in large family-sized packs to get the best price per pound of chicken. When you get it home, just divide it up into 1-2 lb. portions and freeze for later use. I just pop two breasts into quart-size freezer-safe bags, label them, and toss them in the freezer for another recipe!
Kung Pao Chicken
Servings 6Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp corn starch (divided, $0.12)
- 2 Tbsp water (divided (plus more to cook the rice) $0.00)
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil (divided, $0.12)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce (divided, $0.18)
- 3 Tbsp rice wine (divided, see notes, $0.41)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced, $0.08)
- 1 lb boneless (skinless chicken breasts, see notes, $2.67)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.06)
- 2 Tbsp sambal (chili sauce, see notes, $0.30)
- 1 tsp sesame oil ($0.12)
- 1 medium green bell pepper ($0.86)
- ½ lb carrots ($1.26)
- 1 bunch green onions ($0.75)
- ½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts ($0.42)
- 1 ½ cups uncooked jasmine rice ($0.42)
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade for the chicken. Dissolve 1 Tbsp of corn starch in 1 Tbsp of water and then add 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp of soy sauce, 1 Tbsp of rice wine, and the minced garlic. Stir to combine.
- Cut the chicken into small chunks and place it in a bowl or small container. Pour the marinade over top, stir to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce. The sauce is very similar to the marinade but with a couple more ingredients to amp up the flavor. So, again, start by dissolving 1 Tbsp of corn starch in 1 Tbsp of water. Then add 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp rice wine, 2 Tbsp sambal (chili sauce), 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Stir to combine and dissolve the brown sugar. Set the sauce aside until you’re ready to use it.
- Prepare the vegetables. Dice the bell pepper and slice the carrots into strips as thin as possible. Slice the green onions, both the white and green will be used. Measure out 1/2 cup of peanuts.
- Begin to cook the rice. Add 1.5 cups of dry jasmine rice to a medium pot with 2.5 cups of water. Place a lid on top and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice sit undisturbed until it is ready to use. Fluff with a fork just prior to serving.
- Heat 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot (it will look wavy on the surface), add the white half of the sliced green onions. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the marinated chicken. Cook and stir until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. It will feel firm when it is cooked through.
- Add the vegetables and peanuts and stir to combine with the chicken. Immediately add the sauce and cook until the sauce has thickened (2-3 minutes). I prefer the vegetables still crunchy so I didn’t really let them cook before adding the sauce.
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Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Medium Pot
- Large 12" skillet
Notes
Nutrition
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how to make Kung Pao Chicken step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Make the marinade: Start by dissolving 1 Tbsp of corn starch in 1 Tbsp of water. Then stir in 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice wine, and 2 cloves minced garlic.
Dice the chicken: Now slice 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts into small, evenly-sized chunks.
Marinate the chicken: Add the diced chicken to the bowl of marinade. Stir to combine, cover, and place into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Make the sauce: While the chicken is marinating, you can start on the sauce. It’s very similar to the marinade, just combine the ingredients in a bowl: 1 Tbsp corn starch and 1 Tbsp water, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp rice wine, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tbsp sambal (or chili garlic sauce), and 1 tsp sesame oil.
Prep the veggies: Dice 1 bell pepper, slice the whole bunch of green onions (white and green parts!), and cut 1/2 lb. of carrots into matchsticks. If you have a mandoline slicer, it makes quick work of julienning the carrots—but a sharp knife and a little patience do the trick just fine. You’ll also need 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts.
You can also start cooking your rice now. Add 1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice to a pot with about 2 1/2 cups of water. Cover with a lid and bring up to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the rice sit until the rest of the dish is ready. I fluff my rice up with a fork before serving!
Sauté the onion: Heat up 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet until it’s very hot (it should look wavy on the surface). Add the bottom half of the green onions (the white half) and stir fry for about a minute.
Cook the chicken: Now add the marinated chicken breast to the skillet.
Stir and cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes.
Add the veggies: Add the prepared vegetables and the peanuts to the skillet with the chicken. Stir to combine. I wanted my veggies crisp, so I didn’t really let them “cook,” I just stirred them in. If you want your veggies softer, you can let them cook a little longer before adding the sauce.
Add the sauce: Just after adding the vegetables, I added the sauce. Stir and cook until the sauce is thickened. This should only take a few minutes. The veggies will cook a little during those few minutes, but they should stay relatively crisp.
Serve: Divide the cooked jasmine rice and top with the homemade Kung Pao chicken. Serve with extra sliced green onions (optional) and enjoy!
Recipe Success Tips & Suggestions
- Adjust the spice level. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with 1/2-1 tablespoon of chili sauce and taste as you go. If you’re a full-blown chili lover, feel free to crank up the amount to your heart’s content!
- Switch out the peanuts. Feel free to leave the peanuts out if you don’t eat them. The veggies already add a ton of texture, so you won’t be missing out. You can also use cashew nuts instead.
- Add more vegetables. I usually go with carrots, green bell pepper, and green onions, which are all pretty common in takeout-style Kung Pao chicken recipes. Some recipes also include celery for a little extra bite. That said, many of our readers have tossed in everything from broccoli and zucchini to a bag of frozen stir-fry mix, and it all works well. Add in any veggies you want to cook for longer (like frozen vegetables, zucchini, or mushrooms) before the chicken is fully cooked so they have time to soften and heat through.
Serving Suggestions
On those days when I really don’t feel like cooking rice, I’ll serve this Kung Pao chicken over a bed of noodles instead. It’s just as satisfying and comes together in a snap. This recipe is also fantastic with a side of something fresh and crunchy, like my cabbage salad with sesame ginger dressing. Or go all out and grab some frozen egg rolls and potstickers, or whip up a batch of our dumpling soup to serve alongside for a full fake-away feast!
Storage & Reheating
You can keep your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat your homemade Kung Pao chicken in the microwave or in a skillet until the chicken is fully heated through. You can also try freezing this recipe for up to 3 months. I’d let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
More Take-Out Inspired Recipes
Our Kung Pao Chicken recipe was originally published 6/7/11. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 5/14/25.
Made this tonight, but with noodles instead of rice, and zucchini, broccoli, carrots, green onions for the veg…cleaning out the fridge. It was delicious and I will make it again. It was also quick and easy to make.
Love the old Kung Pao Chicken with Vegetables recipe that was an updated version of this one… was that recipe removed from the site? I had planned to make it for dinner tonight but can’t find it now?
To reduce calories, I left the oil out of the marinade and only used one tbsp in my giant cast iron, which was sufficient. The chicken was pretty liquidy and didn’t brown much. I took it out of the pan before putting the vegetables in so it didn’t overcook (easy to do with breasts vs thighs). I wish I would have added the peanuts before the veggies to toast them a bit more, but it was still delicious! Great way to use up green onions.Â
Hi Beth,Â
I absolutely love your page and have been cooking and sharing your recipes for years! I loved your original recipe for this Kung Pao chicken and made it weekly when I was in university.Â
It’s now been years since then and over time I had completely forgotten about this gem of a recipe. I looked it up and noticed that you’ve updated it and made some slight changes – do you by any chance have a link to or copy of the original recipe that was made with broccoli and peppers?Â
I’m excited to try the new version, but I don’t have access to Sambal right now and was also looking forward to a trip down memory lane with the “original” version.Â
Thanks so much for your time!Â
Hi Liz! Just shoot us an email at support@budgetbytes.com and we’ll get that recipe for you :)
This was the first recipe I ever cooked from Budget Bytes more then 4 years ago and STILL my favorite recipe. What made me fall in love with Beth and 4 years later, still the only site I go to for recipies.
But the Kung Pao Chicken is the perfect blend of sweet and spicey, and plan to keep making for at least another 4 years.
Delicious! I made this with half the amount of rice vinegar as per others’ suggestions and added half a bag of stir fry veggies I found in my freezer in addition to the veggies called for to help bulk it up. We served it over some leftover ham fried rice (also found in the freezer). This basically became a great “clear out the fridge and freezer” meal. The only thing I will change next time is to reduce the sugar a bit, maybe to 1.5 tablespoons . It was just a tad bit too sweet for our liking.
Yes, if you reduce the vinegar you’ll definitely need to reduce the sugar. :) The sugar acts as a balance to the acidity of the vinegar.
Hey there. Is there a good non-alcoholic substitute for the rice wine ? I’ve made this before (with much success) using rice vinegar, but since I’m planning on tripling this recipe for a dinner party, I am concerned that such a large amount of rice vinegar will totally alter the taste. Thoughts?
Hmm, it’s hard to say without testing out ingredient substitutions. Rice vinegar can work, but it’s MUCH tangier than rice wine, so I usually reduce the amount some. But again, it’s hard to say without actually taste testing it.
Ok. I think someone mentioned using rice vinegar in the comments but halving the amount…so I’ll give that a whirl. The recipe definitely works with rice vinegar…just gotta figure the right amount. Thanks!!
In one of your other recipes you had mentioned being able to substitute chicken broth for the rice wine- is that possible here? I’m not sure how often I’d use rice wine and I don’t want to buy a whole bottle just for this recipe :)
For this one I think you really need the tang of the rice wine. But it stays good for a REALLY long time, so maybe you’ll get more use out of it than you expect. :D
I made this to pack for lunches this week because my husband was complaining there are no good Chinese lunch spots near his new office. Spice and delicious! Love love. Thank you for yet another awesome recipe!
So tasty!! Better than any take out I’ve had!
Do you know of any good alternatives to soy sauce? I’m really trying to avoid caramel color if I can. This looks great, can’t wait to make it.
You can try tamari or Bragg’s amino acids.
Very very very yummy! This was a total hit! Will be going into the regular rotation. I’m looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch tomorrow! First time using sambal too. We love it! Thanks for introducing this to us.
I used rice vinegar, just 1/2 the amount and sriracha just because that is what I had. Still came out amazing.
Hi Beth,
I am so so loving your site and all the easy to recreate recipes. I like the fact that i can try making different foods now. Since i get too lazy and cook the same food over and over again, i would be able to make more variety now. I will be sharing this site with friends.
Thanks
Use a cheese grater to julienne your carrots, it’s just as good.. bit shorter.