• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Khin's Kitchen logo
  • All Recipes
  • Popular
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe my Newsletter
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Popular
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe my Newsletter
×
Home » Recipes » Chicken

Classic Kung Pao Chicken

Published: Jun 29, 2020 · Modified: Mar 22, 2022 · by Khin · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

Simple Classic Chinese Kung Pao Chicken recipe, packed with authentic Sichuan flavors. One of the most popular Chinese stir fry dishes in China and across the world. It's so quick and easy to make at home in 30 minutes! So delicious and super addictive!

A grey bowl containing chicken stir fry with Sichuan peppercorns, dried chillies, spring onions, and peanuts.

If you love spicy Sichuan Chinese recipes, you will definitely like our Sichuan Chicken Stir Fry, Sichuan Spicy Dan Dan Noodles, Mapo Tofu and Hunan Beef recipes.

Jump to:
  • What is Kung Pao Chicken
  • Ingredients you will need
  • How to make it?
  • Simple Tips
  • FAQ
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Reviews

What is Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken is originated in Sichuan province, China, and is also known as Kung Po or Gung Bao. This dish is named after the late governor, Ding Baozhen of Sichuan province. Traditionally, made with boneless chicken dices, Sichuan peppercorns, roasted peanuts, Sichuan dried chillies, and spring onions.

You might have tried this famous dish at your favorite Chinese restaurants and takeaways. In American-Chinese, British-Chinese, and Western Chinese restaurants, the flavour is milder and sweeter than authentic Sichuan cuisines. Real deal Sichuan cuisines are spicier and contain a generous amount of Sichuan peppercorns and dry chillies.

In this post, I am sharing our favorite quick and easy Sichuan-style Kung Pao Chicken with simple tips and tricks! Following is a quick guide and detailed measurements in the recipe card.

Ingredients you will need

Labelled chicken marinade's ingredients and stir fry's ingredients, displayed on the white table.

Small diced chicken - You can use chicken thigh or breast small dices. Make sure to cut the chicken pieces into the same size cubes and marinate for at least 15 minutes to achieve the tender result.

Roasted Peanuts - Crunchy golden peanuts are one of the key ingredients of this dish. Pan roast the raw peanuts to the golden crispy perfection and add in the stir fry just before plating. Or use the ready unsalted roasted peanuts.

Szechuan dried chilies - Use Szechuan dried chilies, chili flakes for the intense smokey heat. If you cannot find Sichuan chilies easily, use your favorite dried long red chilies mild or hot.

Sichuan peppercorns - have a hot, citrusy, tingling numbing aroma, widely used in Sichuan Chinese cuisines. Highly recommend adding to this recipe. Add freshly ground the Szechuan peppercorns.

Ginger & Garlic - Use a generous amount of freshly chopped ginger and garlic for the best aroma.

Vegetables - Add onions and finely chopped spring onions ( scallions ).

Labelled Kung Pao sauce ingredients displayed on the white table.

Kung Pao Sauce - You will need regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, Shao Xing wine, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. A dash of corn starch is to thicken the sauce. You can also add a splash of Chinese black rice vinegar for a more authentic flavour.

How to make it?

Chicken Kung Po is a very fast stir fry, all you need is 15 minutes of cooking time and 15 minutes for the chicken marinade. You will also need a large wok or skillet and a sharp knife to chop up everything quickly.

4 image collage showing how to prepare chicken, stir fry sauce, peanuts and chicken.
  • First, marinate the chicken pieces with corn starch, baking soda, sugar, and soy sauce.
  • Next, roast the peanuts with a drizzle of oil. Once the peanuts are crispy golden remove from heat and set it aside.
  • In the remaining pan, stir fry the marinated chicken pieces until cooked through. Then remove from pan and set it aside.
4 image collage showing on how to stir fry chicken with kung pao sauce.
  • Now, add the onion dices and stir fry for few seconds. Follow with the dried chillies, ginger, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns.
  • Place the fried chicken pieces back in the wok and pour the kung pao sauce in.
  • Once the sauce is thick and glossy, add the roasted peanuts and chopped spring onions. Combine well everything evenly.
  • Turn off the heat and transfer to serving plate. Serve with plain rice or noodles.
A white bowl containing white rice, topped with spicy chicken stir fry with dried chilies and vegetables.

Simple Tips

  • Cut chicken and same-size small dices and stir fry with high-heat wok/pan to cook every pieces evenly and prevent it from overcooked.
  • Use a large pan or wok to give enough space and heat for all ingredients.
  • Mix all the sauce ingredients in one small bowl and gather all chopped vegetables before you start your stir fry.
  • Make sure not to roast the peanuts with high heat as they can burn easily. Pay fry with low heat and stir continuously. Remove from heat once they start to brown.

FAQ

Is this dish spicy?

Chicken Kung Pao is hot, spicy, sweet, and savory at the same time. When you make it at home, you can always adjust the Sichuan peppers and chili to your preference.

Is Kung Pao Chicken healthy?

This dish is 379 kcal per serving without rice or noodles but the nutritional facts can be varied by the number of factors.

Can you make it ahead?

You can prepare all the vegetables, kung pao sauce, and fry the chicken pieces one day ahead. Before serving, combine all ingredients in a wok, then add the roasted peanuts and spring onions.

More Delicious Classic Chinese Recipes

  • A white bowl containing stir fried noodles, stir fried vegetables and king prawns on the white tea towel.
    King Prawn Chow Mein
  • crispy salt and chilli chicken
    Crispy Salt and Chilli Chicken
  • Sweet and Sour Chicken Hong Kong Style
  • a plate full of chinese chicken curry and white rice with wooden spoon at the side.
    Chinese Chicken Curry

Stay updated on new recipes:

We are on social media Facebook, Instagram, YouTube ( New recipe video every week ), and Pinterest ( Pin your favorite recipes ). If you've tried this recipe, please share your comment or post on social media and tag me. I would love to see your creations and feedback.

📖 Recipe

A grey bowl containing spicy chicken stir fry with peanuts, chillies, and spring onions.

Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Easy Kung Pao Chicken recipe, made with delicious homemade spicy, sweet, savoury sauce. Learn how to make this famous Classic Sichuan Chinese stir fry at home with simple ingredients. Quick, easy, and incredibly delicious!
5 from 29 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American-Chinese, British Chinese, Chinese Cuisine
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Chicken Marinade: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 379kcal
Author: Khin

Equipment

  • Large Wok Any large wok/pan/skillet

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 400 g Chicken breast About 14oz, Boneless chicken thigh/breast, cut into small dices
  • ½ Onion Cut small dices
  • 3 cloves Garlic Finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Finely chopped or grated
  • 3-4 Spring Onions Cut thin slices
  • 6-8 Dried chillies Dried Sichuan Chillies or any long red chillies, cut and deseeded.
  • 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns Crush/grind into fine coarse
  • 100 g Peanuts About 3.5 oz, Raw or Roasted unsalted peanuts
  • 2-3 tbsp Peanut oil Or vegetable, sunflower or canola oil

Chicken Marinade

  • 2 tsp Light soy sauce Or regular all-purpose soy sauce
  • ½ tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Corn starch Or potato starch

Kung Pao Sauce

  • 1 tbsp Light soy sauce Or regular soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shao Xing wine Chinese cooking rice wine or rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • ½ tsp Corn starch Or potato starch
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • First cut the chicken into small same-size cubes and marinate with soy sauce, baking soda, sugar, and corn starch. Let it marinade for at least 15 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Prepare the kung pao sauce by whisking all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set it aside.
  • Roast the raw peanuts in low-heat pan with a drizzle of oil until crispy. Once the peanuts start getting brown, remove from heat and set it aside. ( You can skip this step if you use ready roasted peanuts. )
  • Heat the large wok/pan over medium-high heat, drizzle 1 tbsp of oil and stir fry the chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Then remove from pan and set it aside.
  • In the remaining pan, add a bit more oil if needed. Stir fry the onions with medium-high heat for a few seconds. Follow with dried chillies, garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. Cook for a few seconds until the garlic is slightly brown.
  • Next, place the cooked chicken back in the wok and pour the sauce mixture in. Cook until the sauce is thick and glossy.
  • Now, add the roasted peanuts and chopped spring onions. Combine everything evenly.
  • Turn off the heat and transfer to serving plate. Serve with plain rice or noodles.

Video

Notes

  • Sichuan(Szechuan) Peppercorns - is the key spice in this cuisine, it has a uniquely fragrant and buzzy numbing sensation. There is not exactly the same substitute for Sichuan peppercorns but if you don't like the flavor, you can add a dash of freshly ground black pepper. 
  • Dry chilies - Use any dried long red chilies if you cannot get Sichuan chili peppers. Dry chilies can be added in whole or cut and deseeded. You can omit dry chillies or add more to your taste. 
  • Peanuts - If you use ready roasted peanuts use the unsalted ones as the stir fry sauce contains salt contents. 
 
Nutritional information is calculated approximately and can be varied by the number of factors. 

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 927mg | Potassium: 686mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 333IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @KhinsKitchen or tag #KhinsKitchen!
« Prawn Pad Thai
Thai Basil Fried Rice »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Donna says

    February 22, 2024 at 1:34 am

    So amazing.Thank you so much for sharing.I used to eat Chinese food all of the time when I lived in Canada.
    Here in USA the food I have found isn’t as fabulous as Canadian China towns.We used to go to Vancouver for amazing food.Your recipes are as good if not better than that food.

    Reply
    • Khin says

      February 22, 2024 at 1:13 pm

      Happy hearing it, Donna. Thanks for trying our recipes and sharing your feedback with us.

      Reply
  2. Charlotte Schilke says

    December 05, 2022 at 7:46 am

    5 stars
    Amazing! Easy to follow

    Reply
  3. Cam says

    June 09, 2022 at 7:48 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely LOVED this recipe! I will definitely be making it again for my family in the near future. I unfortunately didn’t have any Sichuan peppercorns but read somewhere to combine black peppercorns with coriander seeds. I also didn’t have any dried chilies so substituted dried chili flakes. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Khin says

      June 09, 2022 at 10:30 pm

      So glad that you enjoyed it, Cam. Crushed black pepper is a great substitute. Thanks for sharing feedback.

      Reply
  4. Suzumi says

    March 31, 2022 at 8:46 am

    5 stars
    So easy to follow! Love how you make it in Szechuan Style because I love every dish with a kick of spice and chillies!
    This dish is time-saving and delicious same time.

    Reply
    • Khin says

      March 31, 2022 at 10:25 am

      Thank you so much Suzumi. I am very glad that you enjoy this recipe.

      Reply
  5. Joshua says

    March 29, 2022 at 10:54 pm

    5 stars
    You’re recipe are always my favourite. It works for sure. I had this kung pao chicken yesterday it was so good. I never thought peanuts has to be toasted before you put them in the stir fry. Thank you for this delicious recipe.

    Reply
    • Khin says

      March 30, 2022 at 9:49 pm

      Thanks, Joshua, crunchy peanuts are the key to this recipe. I am very glad that you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  6. Steve S. says

    January 04, 2022 at 2:12 am

    5 stars
    This was great. I added onions, celery, and mushrooms. I’ll use less chilies and keep them whole next time, maybe a little MSG.

    Reply
5 from 29 votes (24 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Image of Khinskitchen

Hi, I'm Khin! This blog is all about my family home cooking recipes. I want to share how to make delicious meals from simplest method with step-by-step cooking videos.

More about me →

Popular Posts

  • Sweet and Sour Chicken Hong Kong Style

  • A white bowl containing pasta and chicken with tomatoes sauce and sprinkle with cheese and parsley.
    Spicy Chicken Pasta

  • crispy salt and chilli chicken
    Crispy Salt and Chilli Chicken

  • A white bowl containing stir fried noodles, stir fried vegetables and king prawns on the white tea towel.
    King Prawn Chow Mein

  • crispy shredded chicken
    Crispy Shredded Chicken

  • sweet chilli beef
    Crispy Chilli Beef (with Sweet Chilli)

Asian Take-out

  • a plate full of chinese chicken curry and white rice with wooden spoon at the side.
    Chinese Chicken Curry

  • crispy shredded beef
    Crispy Shredded Beef Recipe

  • A plate filled with salt and pepper chips with small bowl of crushed chilli and spring onions to garnish.
    Chinese Salt and Pepper Chips

  • Salt and pepper chicken
    Salt and Pepper Chicken

  • A white bowl containing, Chinese fried rice with eggs, Char siu, prawns, peas, carrots, spring onions.
    Special Fried Rice

  • A white bowl containing, crispy coated chicken with dried chillies and spring onions.
    Mongolian Chicken

  • A grey plate containing spicy fried chips topped with sliced chilli and coriander.
    Masala Chips

  • A white plate containing, spicy fried chicken strips, topped with spring onion and sliced chillies.
    Crispy Honey Chilli Chicken

Recent Recipes

  • A white plate containing Chinese-style whole steamed fish with ginger, chilli, and scallions.
    Easy Chinese Steamed Fish

  • spicy chicken stir fry topped with plain rice with wooden cutlery on the side and lime wedges and sesame seeds to garnish at the side.
    Firecracker Chicken

  • A white bowl containing chow mein with chicken.
    Chicken Chow Mein Recipe

  • A clear glass jar containing glossy sweet chilli sauce.
    Sweet Chilli Sauce

Footer

↑ back to top

  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Sign Up! for recipe newsletter
  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 TRENDY MEDIA CREATION LTD

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.