Kung pao chicken in a pan

Kung pao chicken is one of the best known Sichuan stir fries, with a balance of savory, sour, sweet, spicy, and numbing flavors. I know that sounds like a lot, but I am confident you will love it if you have not tried it yet.

I do not always use a wok when I make this dish at home. In my kitchen, a large nonstick pan is more practical, especially because many home stoves do not get hot enough for true wok cooking, and the vinegar in the sauce can be tough on a newer carbon steel or cast iron pan. I like this approach because it keeps the recipe easy and still gives me the flavor I want for a weeknight dinner.

When I make it, I marinate the chicken first, mix the sauce, and keep all the aromatics close to the stove before I start cooking. Then I sear the chicken, stir fry the garlic, ginger, dried chili peppers, and vegetables, and finish the whole dish with the sauce and peanuts. If you want a fast stir fry with a little heat and plenty of flavor, this is one I love serving over rice.

Kung pao chicken over rice close up

Ingredients

This dish cooks fast, so I like to set up the ingredients in the same order I use them. I get the chicken marinating first, stir the sauce together next, and keep the rest of ingredients ready by the stove.

Ingredients for making kung pao chicken

Chicken and marinade: I use diced chicken breast for the classic version, though thigh works too if I want a slightly richer result. I marinate it with light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch so it stays tender in the pan.

Sauce: I mix chicken broth, Chinkiang vinegar, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

Stir fry: I use garlic, ginger, dried Chinese chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorn, red pepper, green onion, roasted peanuts, and a little chili oil but this is optional.

How to Make

1. Marinate the chicken: Combine the chicken, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix by hand and let it marinate while I prepare the other ingredients.

2. Mix the sauce: Combine the chicken broth, Chinkiang vinegar, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth.

3. Sear the chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until hot. Spread the chicken in a single layer and let it cook briefly without moving it. Stir until the surface turns white and the inside is still slightly raw, then transfer it to a plate right away.

Searing the chicken in a pan

4. Cook the aromatics and spices: Add the remaining oil, garlic, ginger, dried chili peppers, and ground Sichuan peppercorn. Turn the heat to medium and stir until very fragrant.

Cooking the aromatics

5. Cook the pepper: Turn the heat to medium high. Add the red pepper and stir fry for 1 minute.

sauteing the bell pepper

6. Add the green onion: Add the green onion and cook for another minute, until it just start to turn tender.

cooking the green onion

7. Add the sauce: Stir the sauce again so the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Pour it into the pan and stir a few times.

cooking with the sauce

8. Finish the dish: Return the chicken to the pan and toss until the sauce thickens and coats everything. Add the peanuts and stir to mix well. If I want more color, I drizzle in a little chili oil at the end. Transfer everything to a plate and serve warm.

Kung Pao Chicken ingredients cooking in a pan

Cooking Tips

Keep everything near the stove: I always set up the chicken, sauce, aromatics, pepper, green onion, and peanuts before I start cooking. This dish moves too fast for me to stop halfway through.

Do not cook the chicken all the way at first: I pull the chicken from the pan while the inside is still a little underdone. It finishes later in the sauce, which helps me keep it juicy.

Use dried chili peppers for aroma: I like dried Chinese chili peppers here because they add fragrance and depth without making the dish too hot. If I want more heat, I cut them smaller and let more seeds go into the pan.

Add chili oil only if I want extra color: I use a little chili oil at the end when I want the dish to look redder and have another layer of flavor. I like this trick because I can control the heat more easily.

How I Serve

I usually serve kung pao chicken with steamed white rice, because the sauce is too good to leave behind on the plate. At home, I like keeping dinner simple and pairing it with a vegetable dish like my stir fried pea shoots with garlic or these Sichuan dry fried green beans, so the meal has something green next to the chicken.

When I have colleagues over, I like serving kung pao chicken as one dish in a Sichuan style dinner. I love adding mapo tofu and Yu Xiang eggplant if I want a fuller spread, but I also make sure at least one side is less spicy so dinner stays balanced.

Frequently Ask Questions

Why is my chicken turning dry?

Chicken usually turns dry when it stays in the pan too long. I always sear it first, then take it out while the inside is still a little underdone so it can finish later in the sauce. That second cooking at the end is enough to cook it through without pushing it too far. Once I started doing it this way, my kung pao chicken got much better.

How do I keep the vegetables crisp?

I do not cook the vegetables for too long, especially the pepper and green onion. I want them to stay bright and slightly crisp so they add contrast to the chicken and sauce. This dish cooks fast, so I keep everything ready before I turn on the stove. When the pan is hot and the ingredients are close by, it is much easier to control the texture instead of overcooking everything while I look for the next ingredient.

How do I store leftovers?

I store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When I want to reheat them, I use a pan if I can, because the chicken and vegetables keep a better texture than they do in the microwave. If I want to freeze it, I let it cool completely first, then transfer it to a freezer safe container and freeze it for up to 1 month.

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Balanced sweet, sour, numbing, spicy, and savory flavors make for the perfect kung pao chicken. Learn the technique to recreate the authentic flavor in your own kitchen.

Kung Pao Chicken (宫保鸡丁)

By Maggie Zhu
4.85 from 19 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Print
I love making this 30 minute kung pao chicken. It is a quick Chinese dinner with juicy chicken, dried chili peppers, and peanuts in a slightly sweet sauce that I am absolutely obsessed with. I sear the chicken first, stir fry the aromatics and vegetables, and have it ready to serve to my loved ones in no time.

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast , diced into 3/4” (1.5 cm) pieces (or thigh)

Marinade

Sauce

Stir-fry

  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 4 cloves garlic , sliced
  • 1 thumb ginger , julienned
  • 6 red dried Chinese chili peppers , cut into 3 pieces
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1 red pepper , diced
  • 5 large green onions , cut into 1” (2.5 cm) pieces
  • 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
  • 2 teaspoons chili oil (Optional, to add color)

Instructions

  • Combine the chicken and marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well by hand and let marinate for at least 10 minutes, up to 30 minutes.
  • Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Swirl the pan and let oil coat the bottom.
  • When the oil is hot, spread chicken in a layer and cook for 20 to 30 seconds without moving it. Cook and stir until the chicken turns just white on the surface and the inside is still slightly raw. Turn to medium-low heat and immediately transfer chicken to a plate.
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, garlic, ginger, dried chili peppers, and ground Sichuan peppercorn. Turn to medium heat. Stir and cook until very fragrant.
  • Turn to medium-high heat. Add the pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Then add the green onion, Stir and cook for another minute.
  • Mix the sauce again so that cornstarch dissolves completely. Swirl in sauce and quickly stir a few times. Add back the cooked chicken. Stir and toss until the sauce thickens. Add the roasted peanuts. Stir again to mix well. Immediately transfer to a plate. Serve warm with steamed white rice.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 259kcal, Carbohydrates: 17.8g, Protein: 10.3g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 2.6g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 789mg, Potassium: 361mg, Fiber: 2.4g, Sugar: 10.2g, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 2mg

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