Healthier 25 Minute Kung Pao Chicken.
Healthier 25 Minute Kung Pao Chicken. Taking everyone’s favorite takeout order and making it healthier at home. And…using a little extra sauce and peppers too…because crispy, saucy Kung Pao chicken is best. Boneless chicken breasts tossed in a Chinese inspired marinade, then pan-fried until crispy with bell peppers, spicy chili peppers, peanuts, and the most delicious sweet, spicy, and tangy Kung Pao sauce. Serve this saucy Kung Pao chicken over steamed rice with plenty of green onions. This easy dinner comes together in minutes and is so delicious. It’s a meal the whole family will love. And honestly, it’s actually quicker and much healthier than ordering out!
I’ve been talking a lot about my family these days since a lot of my brothers are still here in Colorado. And, I’ve been doing a lot of my cooking with them in mind. Another silver lining from this past year is the ability for everyone’s schedules to slow a bit. My brothers have all been able to work more from Colorado, which means we’ve gotten to see everyone more this year than ever.
Currently, four out of my six brothers are all in town and staying with my parents. Red and Kai have X-Games next week. Creighton has been working remotely from Colorado since March…so almost a year now. It’s nice having everyone around. I have to say, I love cooking for them, it’s really why I started cooking all those years ago.
Anyway, with my brothers in town, I like to make recipes that they all will enjoy. Creighton is the brother that’s most excited about food. He really, really LOVES food. And his favorite kind of food? Any kind of Chinese or Indian takeout. Do you remember my Indian Butter Chicken? Yup, Creighton was the inpso behind that recipe, and today, he’s the inspiration behind this incredibly delicious and easy Kung Pao Chicken.
Creigh loves anything Chinese. He’s currently into chicken fried rice, but I know he really loves a spicy, saucy chicken. So I thought about making a homemade Kung Pao. I figured I could probably do it at home and I could probably make it healthier too.
And that’s just what I did.
When I got his daily text of, “soo, what did you make today?”, it was almost as though I could see his face light up with excitement through the message. And when he came over to the studio for his taste test? Well, then I did get to see his face, and geez, it was a true kid in a candy store moment. Never seen so much excitement over a chicken and rice dinner, but I will say, this sauce is really something special.
Making homemade Kung Pao chicken is simple.
First off, I want to note this is not authentic Kung Pao chicken, BUT, all of the same flavors are here. I read through a lot of recipes online, all using slightly different ingredients and measurements. My biggest goal when creating recipes to share with you guys is to make sure they’re made using easy to find ingredients and made relatively hassle-free.
With that in mind, I had to make a couple of ingredient swaps so I could use what I have in my pantry. Most Kung Pao chicken recipes call for Shaoxing wine, black Chinese vinegar, and both dark and light soy sauce. I don’t ever have these ingredients on hand, and I have a hard time finding them in my local stores. So instead of ordering these online, I figured out a few simple ingredients swaps and incorporated them into my recipe.
So all the same flavors, just a few slightly different ingredients to make creating a delicious Kung Pao chicken a bit easier to achieve at home!
Start with the chicken. It’s first marinated in a mix of soy sauce and dry sherry. If you don’t have dry sherry in the pantry, use a dry red wine, that works great too. Let the chicken marinate for a few minutes while you prepare the Kung Pao sauce.
The sauce is pretty simple but full of complex flavors. Just mix soy sauce, a dash more of dry sherry, honey, hoisin sauce, balsamic, lots of Sichuan peppercorns (or red pepper flakes), and a bit of arrowroot powder (or cornstarch). A lot of Kung Pao recipes call for hoisin sauce, but since most store-bought sauces include a lot of added sugar, I like to make mine at home. It’s easy to do and I love that I can adjust the sweetness to my liking.
Once the sauce is made, start cooking the chicken. The key is to get the chicken crisp and charred. So cook the chicken over a high heat until it caramelizes around the edges. Then toss in the bell peppers, spicy Fresnos, lots of garlic, and ginger. Cook until everything is super fragrant, then add the sauce, and simmer a bit until it thickens.
Finish it up.
While that is happening slice up lots of green onions, then pull the chicken off the stove and stir in the onions.
This dish is meant to be saucy, so while it should coat the chicken, there should still be sauce left in the pan. Serve everything over steamed rice and that’s it. So simple, quick, and easy, but still delicious and full of so many flavors.
The bell peppers and spicy Fresnos are the secret ingredients, and…they give the chicken a nice pop of color. But the sauce? The sauce is the star, it’s sticky and sweet, but not too sweet. It’s salty, but in a good way, and it has just the right amount of tangy spice. So very good.
Excited to have this quick dinner in my back pocket, I know I will be making it often!
Looking for more simple, takeout style dinners at home? Here are a few favorites:
Better Than Takeout Dan Dan Noodles
Better Than Takeout Garlic Butter Shrimp Pad Thai
25 Minute Wonton Soup with Sesame Chili Oil
Lastly, if you make these, Healthier 25 Minute Kung Pao Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Healthier 25 Minute Kung Pao Chicken.
Taking everyone’s favorite takeout order and making it healthier. So much better than ordering out!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry or dry red wine
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (homemade hoisin in notes)
- 1/2-2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns or red pepper flakes, use to your taste
- 4 tablespoons peanut or avocado oil
- 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1-2 red fresno peppers, seeded, if desired and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- 4 green onions thinly, sliced, plus more for serving
Instructions
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1. In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder/cornstarch, 1 tablespoon sherry, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
2. To make the sauce: Combine 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sherry, the honey, hoisin, balsamic, peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder/cornstarch.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add another 1-2 tablespoons oil, the chicken and cook, tossing 1-2 times, until it becomes crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers, fresno peppers, garlic, and ginger, cook another 2-3 minutes. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil, peanuts and green onions, cook another 2 minutes.
4. Serve the chicken over bowls of rice. Top with with additional green onions.
Recipe Notes
Homemade Hoisin: in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder, and a pinch of black pepper.
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Oooh this looks lovely. Another recipe to pin and make in the near future. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much Colleen! xTieghan
I’ve always wanted to know – how do you slice your onions like you do? 😀
Hey Hannah,
I just slice them on an angle:) I hope you love this dish! Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi, can I use Chinese cooking wine instead? Thanks!
Hey Grace,
Yes, this will work nicely. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks great! Does the sesame oil get drizzled at the end? I didn’t see it in the instructions.
Hey Bonnie,
The sesame oil is added in step 3. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Quick question….when do you add the 2 teaspoons of sesame oil? Also, the recipe calls for 4 Tablespoons of peanut or avocado oil, step 2 states to add 2 Tablespoons of oil, when do you add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil?
Oh my gosh! This looks AMAZING!! Planning the butter chicken this week too. 🙂xx
Thanks so much Kelly-Jane!! xTieghan
Can’t wait to make this! And I LOVE that you included a homemade hoisin!!!
Thanks Jennifer! I hope you love the recipe!! xTieghan
When do you put in all the oil? An when doyou add the sesame oil?? I’m making this now and I’ll have to wing it…
But….can you please advise?
Hey Linda,
The peanut oil is used at the beginning of step 2 and the sesame oil is used at the end of step 2. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hi, we couldn’t get the sauce to thicken. What should we try next time? It tastes wonderful.
Hey Leslie,
Try adding corn starch to help thicken the sauce. Thanks for trying the recipe! xTieghan
This was delicious! So many flavors….yum!!
Thanks so much Kate! xTieghan
This looks amazing!!! Thank you for the homemade hoisin sauce recipe. I love that you figure out how to make things work with more common ingredients. That’s the way to go!
Thanks so much Jane! I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
If you have the Chinese wine and dark soy sauce in hand where would those be swapped in? Looks amazing!
Hey Heather,
I would use the Chinese wine in place of the sherry and the dark soy in place of the regular soy! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
What kind of pan works best for the chicken? Non stick? Thank you!
Hey Megan,
I find that my cast iron works best:) I hope you enjoy the recipe. Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks fabulous and I can make this with ingredients I have on hand. Thank you!!! I read your Instagram every morning for dinner ideas.
Thanks so much Janice! I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
How do you feel about cooking the chicken in the air fryer?
Hey Niki,
Sorry I haven’t tested that, put you could give it a try! I hope you love the recipe, let me know if I can help in any other way! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Are the calories quoted for this with or without the rice?
Hey Kelly,
It is without the rice. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Do you have a recommendation for a different veggie than red pepper that will cook the same time/same way?
Hey Cait,
Broccoli would be a great option here. I hope you love the dish. Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
If you lightly toast the peanuts and some dried peppers with the sichuan peppercorns separately in the pan (take them out) before the chicken you will see an enhancement to the flavors.
Thanks for the recommendation!! xTieghan
Hello! Im looking forward to making this tomorrow night – is there a substitute for the peanut of avocado oil? with EVOO work?
Thank you!
Hey Rachael,
Yes, that would work just fine!! I hope you love the recipe. Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
What is a good substitute for Fresno peppers? I’m not sure our grocery will have them.
Hey Gail,
Honestly any peppers that you enjoy will work here! I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
We are doing whole30. Is the honey necessary? Can we use something like date paste instead? Also, if we use coconut aminos, would it be the same amount?
Hey Libby,
Yes you can use coconut aminos and I would use some maple syrup or brown sugar in place of the honey. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made it and loved it! I followed the recipe with the exception of the Fresno peppers (my husband doesn’t like too much heat. I do, so I added hot pepper sauce to my portion at the table). We were both happy, and I’ll be making it again. I’ve made three dishes from #halfbakedharvest this month; they’ve all been great!
Hey Elizabeth,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
So good and really easy! I had almost everything on hand which was great.
Hey Maggie,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Tried it tonight and loved it. Husband approved 👍🏻 Thank you!
Hey Cat,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
We had this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing a great recipe! 😋
Hey Carrie,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
On your Instagram story you used Sherry Vinegar, but the recipe says Dry Sherry. Does it matter which one you use?
Hey Nicole,
Either of those will work well:) I hope you enjoy the recipe! xTieghan
I didn’t have sherry and used ACV instead – still turned out great! The is recipe was a winner for all of us!
Hey Sam,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out. Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Oh my, Oh my! I made this tonight for my family and it is YUM-MY! Rave reviews from ALL! Made your hoisin sauce recipe and it was delicious. Came together quickly and easily…fam wants this again soon! Thank you, Tieghan! We loved, loved it! xx
Hey Cari,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out. Have a great weekend! xTieghan
I bought Chinese black vinegar for another kung pao recipe. Do you think I could use that in place of the balsamic vinegar?
Hey Jessica,
Sure, I think that would work well. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Let me know if I can help in any other way! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan, how do you get your chicken not look that colour and crispy? I followed the steps but my chicken looked red from the wine!
Hey Rachel,
I find that my cast iron skillet really helps to crisp the chicken and give that golden color. I hope you enjoyed the recipe! xTieghan
This was an easy to make recipe that tasted absolutely fantastic! I am so glad I found your website and all of your amazing recipes!! I can hardly wait to get the cookbooks! Thank you for making this easy and delicious asian dish!
Hey Rachel,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
This looks delicious! Is there a non alcohol substitute I could use instead? Thanks!
Hey Sam,
You could use rice vinegar in place of the alcohol. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was fabulous! I didn’t have any Sichuan peppercorns or peanuts, but I substituted raw cashews, did without the peppercorns and still was not disappointed. My husband said this version was better than our favorite Chinese restaurant’s. I always have Koon Chun hoisin sauce on the shelf so I would recommend it if you don’t want to make your own. Thanks so much for this insanely good recipe!
Hey Bobbie,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
I added broccoli instead of peppers and used cashews instead of peanuts. I also added 2 tablespoons of black sesame seeds.
Definitely a do again! All gone!
Hey Mimi,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
I made this and added broccoli. It was very good. Next time I will add more arrowroot powder to make the sauce a little thicker.
Hey Angie,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
The narrative stated to cook the chicken over high heat until crispy. However, the recipe states to heat the oil over medium heat, and then cook the chicken. Although I had previously read the post, I was only looking at the actual printed recipe when cooking, and had forgotten that part, so used medium heat, and the chicken never got crispy. It was still good, but probably not as flavorful as it could have been.
Hey Suzy,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
I am a huge fan of Half Baked Harvest! Good recipe but it called for way too much soy sauce. 1/2 cup is a lot. I will make again with 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Just a suggestion. Love your recipes!
Hey Lisa,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! xTieghan
This was delicious! My family was speechless as they devoured it! My teenage boy was sad that there weren’t any leftovers! Thank you for putting such fantastic recipes together! We have loved everything that we have tried!
Hey Jolene,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
Is that right, 2-4 TBSP of Oil? Plus another 2 tsp of sesame oil? Seems like a lot of oil.
Hey Kim,
Yes, that is correct. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was absolutely delicious! I’m so happy to have a good kung pao recipe since I live in the middle of nowhere and can’t get Chinese takeout EVER. I love how light it was. Hope that makes sense, but usually when I get takeout it feels heavy. This was amazing! Thank you!! I will say though that the prep time was unrealistic. It took me the 10 minutes just to gather all of the ingredients to start. Love your recipes though, Tieghan! 🙂
Hey Dawn,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have the best week. xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was awesome! I especially loved the homemade hoisin! I will be looking for a more of your recipes to cook!
Hey Barbara,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have the best week. xTieghan
I’d have given this 10 stars!
Thanks so much Mary!! xTieghan
I am a huge fan of Half Baked Harvest! Recipe was good but 1/2 c soy sauce was way too much. I would substitute 1/4 c soy sauce and 1/4 c reduced salt chicken broth instead.
Hey Lisa,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have the best week. xTieghan
This recipe looks amazing and really easy! I’ve been seriously craving kung pao lately. I might need to put this recipe in regular rotation. 🙂
Thanks so much Sydney! I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
This tastes amazing! I can just never get the sauce to thicken … that is with every recipe of yours.
Hey Gigi,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, to thicken the sauces try adding some cornstarch! I hope this helps! xTieghan
We made this tonight. It’s excellent. Everyone went back for seconds. Definitely worthy of rotation.
Hey Kristi,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
Wowza! This is amazing!!! Perfect at home Kung Pao!!
Hey Melissa,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
Super easy and amazingly delicious! Always felt this recipe was too complicated for me to try until watching Tiegan. She always gives me confidence in cooking and trying new things!
Hey Sara,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
This was so good! Definitely don’t need to get take out anymore 🙂 I did have to go to a few stores to find the Fresno peppers but was able to find them at Metropolitan Market. I used coco aminos instead of soy sauce and I don’t think it altered the flavor any. Only problem was that I didn’t make enough, everyone wanted seconds! Will definitely keep on my short list. Thank you!
Hey Grace,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
I didn’t try it (cause vegetarian) but made this for my family (husband and two teenage boys) and got rave reviews! They said it was much better than Chinese food from a restaurant! High praise. Thank you!
Hey Maggie,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
This Kung Pao chicken was delicious and I love that it came together in 25 minutes. I only had one pepper so I added snap peas and cashews as I didn’t have peanuts. It was scrumptious. Thank you for the recipe.
Hey Vanessa,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Tried it and it doesn’t look as beautiful as yours! Maybe I didn’t fry the chicken right?? Ahhh
Hey Kristi,
So sorry, what do you mean it doesn’t look like mine? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
This turned out so so SO good! I couldn’t get my sauce to thicken so I had to drain it, whisk in more cornstarch, and add it back. (This seems to happen to me a lot when making sauces – I feel like there might be some “user error” on my end, but I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong because I follow the recipe to a T!) My husband loved it too so I’ll definitely make this recipe again!
Hey Marcie,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Delicious!! And super easy to make.
Thanks so much Madeline! xTieghan
I made mine with beef. Great recipe. I also used cashews instead of peanuts which turned out great. Thank you for another great recipe!
Hey Traci,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
so authentic and lovely
beckandbulow
Thanks!
What’s up T-dawg?!
Like some other commenters, my chicken never really browned like yours, and the sauce never quite thickened even with a substantial addition of corn starch. Any suggestions? Higher heat? Precook the sauce in a separate pot?
Hey Michael,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry you had issues with the sauce. What kind of pan are you using? I find a cast iron skillet works best. I a surprised to hear about the cornstarch, that usually does the trick! xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight and the entire family loved it! Thank you!
My chicken never got crispy and I’m wondering if it’s because I used my Le Creuset sauté pan? I have an induction stove so I use it nearly every day.
Hey Colleen,
I am so thrilled that you have enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for making it:) Sorry you had issues with the chicken, I find my cast iron skillet really get the right texture on the chicken, it is also important not to overcrowd your pan. xTieghan
This looks amazing! Do you think I can sub shrimp instead?
Hey Mallika,
Yes, I think shrimp would be great here! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was amazing! It is definitely going in our recipe rotation and we will be making again! In the options given for ingredients, I made this with cornstarch, cabernet sauvignon, red pepper flakes, and peanut oil. We served the chicken over rice and did blistered green beans on the side. Excellent pair and next time we make this chicken we definitely will be adding some more veggies like broccoli or carrots to the mixture as that sauce would be delicious on almost anything! We couldn’t get enough and everyone went back for seconds! Thanks for this recipe!
Hey Maddie,
I am so so glad that you liked the recipe, thanks a lot for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
LOVE THIS! We added slightly more sesame oil (about 1 tbsp) and it was delicious.
Hey Steph,
I am so so glad that you liked the recipe, thanks a lot for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Hi, would this recipe work for shrimp, too?
Hey Sabrina,
Shrimp would be fantastic! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Loved it!
Thanks so much Molly! xTieghan
I added some chopped zucchini in place of half a red pepper. I liked the sauce but felt there was just something missing. Maybe more soy sauce? Ideas?
Hey Pam,
Thanks for trying the recipe, you could certainly add more soy sauce to your liking! Let me know if that helps! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! How long do you think the homemade hoisin sauce will keep?? I made it a couple weeks ago for your Dan Dan Noodles (they’re a favorite in our house – yummmm), and I’d love to use what I have left for this recipe. Thank you!!
Hey Nikole,
I would say it is good for a few weeks in the fridge. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This recipe was delicious, better than what I have had in restaurants! It will definitely go on our make again list!
Hey Bethany,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
HEAVEN!
Thanks Larissa! xTieghan
My husband and I loved this dish! I omitted the fresno peppers (couldn’t find them!) and added an extra tsp of red pepper flakes. Loved it! Perfect for a Friday night.
Hey Grace,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Do have a substitute for the hoisin sauce? Trying to make it gluten free?
Hey Sarah,
Try my recipe for homemade hoisin: in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder, and a pinch of black pepper. You can use Tamari in place of the soy sauce to make it GF. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
I made this today – it was absolutely fabulous. My husband said that it was “the best Kung Pao he has ever had”!!! I followed the recipe exactly except omitted bell peppers (just because I don’t like them). Using a cast iron skillet and making sure to boil the sauce until it became sticky I think is the trick here. Wonderful recipe, will make over and over.
Hey Kayleigh,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
When do I use the sesame oil?
Hey Terry,
You are going to use the sesame oil in step 3. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS!! I couldn’t find Fresno peppers so subbed jalapeño and next time might reduce the honey a bit or add more heat but that’s just a personal preference tweak (I like everything spicy). Super good, husband ate every last bit and chicken was so tender!
If your sauce isn’t thickening up make note that arrow root or cornstarch is added to both the chicken and the sauce. I used cornstarch because it’s what I had on hand and the consistency was perfect. Thanks for sharing this tasty recipe. 💖
Hey Sherri,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Mine didn’t exactly look like the picture but it was still DELICIOUS!! Better than takeout and certainly healthier. I did modify a bit in case anyone else wants to – I did one big chicken breast, one bell pepper, and about 2/3 a bag of broccoli florets. No other adjustments to the recipe so had a good amount of sauce. It was a generous dinner for my friend and I and I had one serving of leftovers (which reheated beautifully)! Ate with brown rice. Cannot wait to make this one again.
Hey Lila,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Wow! This is by far one of the best recipes I have made! Big hit with the family and so satisfying to make. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Christine,
I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Oh my God what’s with the pop-up ads? I’ve been cooking different recipes off of this blog for a year now and absolutely love it. I was super excited to try this recipe but every time I go to complete a step and stop scrolling or touching my phone a chevy ad takes over my screen. I’m just trying to measure out for the sauce and I keep getting pop-up ads so I can’t even make it. I get it’s a way to make money but to sacrifice the user experience is a shame. I gave up on the recipe after the tenth Chevy commercial.
Hey Allison,
So sorry about this! xTieghan
I made this tonight, but with tofu instead of chicken. So good! Will definitely make again.
Hey Tom,
I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Hi, can’t waist to try this. Can we use something else instead of alcohol? Thanks!
Hey Satta,
You could use rice vinegar in place of the sherry. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Omg- just made this- we may never order takeout again! The whole family loved it!!
Thank you so much!
Hey Tara,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Delicious! Will be on repeat here in Kansas. Never been a Kung Pao fan but my hubs is. Love this one & I am thrilled for this Hoisin sauce as I am on a restricted sodium diet.
Hey Nancy,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Okay, this was fantastic! I did not try the homemade hoison this time around, so can’t speak to that, but the rest is what you would expect from one of Tieg’s recipes – delish!
Hey JuJu,
I am so thrilled the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Friday! xTieghan
Came together so quick! Husband loved it and ate every last bit of it – at once! Making it again tonight and hiding a serving in the back of the fridge…..shhhh
Hey Amy,
I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
I was wondering if I could prep this recipe a day before and how
Hey Barbara,
I would just make the entire recipe and reheat the following day:) I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was SO good. You always nail the sauces, Tieghan! Will be making this one again and again!
Hey Leah,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have a great week! xTieghan
Hi! Are you able to share the breakdown of macronutrients for how you got the calories? Do you share the protein, fat, carb breakdown on your recipes? Thanks!!
Hey Caroline,
Sorry, we only provide the calories which are given to us using an online calorie counter:) xTieghan
This recipe was great! Easy to follow and yummy. My store was out of the fresno pepper so I used a jalapeno and it worked fine, first time with this recipe so I can’t really tell the difference but hopefully next time I’ll be able to use the fresno. I also forgot about the sherry so I used cab sav, the only red I had, and it was a great sauce.
Hey Sarah,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
I am wondering how this might be with pork tenderloin?
Hey Kristin,
I have not tested this with pork tenderloin, but it could be a good option! Let me know how the recipe turns out! xTieghan
Absolutely the best Kung Pao I’ve ever tasted anywhere (first time from scratch). Really had a kick (unseeded Fresno’s & 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes – that’s all I had left and it was just right). I’m a meticulous prepper so I will say to mise en place, pcube chicken, wash, de-rib, thinly slice 2 red bell peppers, wash & thinly slice 2 Fresno peppers, peel and finely chop garlic and grate ginger using a micro plane took much longer than 10 minutes. But that’s just me, fabulous recipe and definitely worth the time (whatever it may be).
Hey Don,
I am thrilled you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
This recipe is so good! Made it last night! One question, do you estimated calories include the rice? Or is this just for the chicken? Thank you!
Hey there,
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! The calories is just for the chicken. Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
The whole crew loved it!
Hey Catherine,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
I wanted to marinate the chicken. Can I marinate in the sauce? When would I add cornstarch? My daughter and I love your recipes!!!
Hey Charo,
I honestly don’t think it is necessary to marinate this chicken:) I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Totally loved this, so much better than actual take out
Hey Jayne,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
I made this for the lunar New Year and Valentines day. It was delicious made just the way the recipe stated. My family loved it. Can not to make it for my freinds. I used my mothers 100 year old cast iron skillet.
Hey Donna,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I normally love all your recipes and Cooke them quite often. I’m not sure this one was rested correctly. You don’t give a suggestion for what pan to use. In your description you say to cook the chicken over high heat then in the instructions it says medium then add two more tbsp of oil which further brings the temp down . I ended up with a burnt on mess on the bottom of my all clad pan. And the sauce didn’t cling.
Hey Samara,
So sorry you did not enjoy the recipe, please let me know if I can help in anyway! Any skillet pan will work for this recipe. xTieghan
I recently found this site and LOVE your recipes. Of the approximately 15 I’ve made so far, this is one of our favorites. So tasty and flavorful. I didn’t have the fresno peppers and used the homemade hoisin sauce and it was the bomb. Def will be making again!
Hey Bethany,
I so appreciate you giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! xTieghan
So delish! I added celery too, because that’s how I picture Kung Pao. Will make again.
Hey Lauren,
Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Just made this tonight. The sauce was delicious! BUT, my chicken did not crisp up at all, the coating came off completely once in the hot pan. But, I will definitely try again.
Hey Mini,
I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week! xTieghan
Another winner, winner chicken dinner! My husband and I LOVED this!
Hey Jacki,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Made this tonight with tofu instead of chicken and my husband said it was his favorite so far. 🖤
Hey Bri,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thank you for making it! xTieghan
Delicious. I swapped the chicken for chickpeas and we are HAPPY campers! YUMMMM.
Hey Katherine,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thank you for making it! xTieghan
Hi, I have a question. Could the chicken be made in the oven, vs. stovetop? Thanks. Looks delish!
Hey Karen,
Yes, that would work just fine! I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Easy, quick, DELICIOUS! My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed this! Easy enough to make on a busy week night.
Hey Serena,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have great week:) xTieghan
I would LOVE if you could start posting all the nutrition info! It would be so helpful!
This wasn’t as crispy as your photo looks…any tips?
Hey Stephanie,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! Was there anything you adjusted? Let me know! xTieghan
I actually used ground beef and broccolini instead of chicken and peppers. My son Hayes peppers and I had some broccolini in the refrigerator. This was totally delicious.
Hey Risa,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
It’s not letting me reply to your comment…thank you for the reply! I didn’t change anything, BUT there was a lot of liquid that came from the chicken…maybe that’s it? Your recipes are great! Will keep trying!
Thanks so much Stephanie:) xTieghan
So I made this and I’ve made lots of your recipes but I can’t get my chicken to brown.
I have an induction and everything just burns on the pan not the meat. Any pan suggestions.?
Hey Michelle,
I really fine I get the best brown using my cast iron skillet. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
FYI, traditional Kung pao chicken is not unhealthy. If you simply substituted some of the sauces you used for real Chinese sauces, (black Chinese vinegar instead of balsamic, Chinese rice wine instead of sherry) and added some Sichuan peppercorns you’d be much closer to the actual Asian dish without adding anything that you’d consider not good for you.
Hey Jill, thanks so much for this info! I have a hard time finding some of the ingredients traditional used, so I had to make some substitutions based on what I could find. I am going to try and order these online though! xTieghan
Delicious as well as super quick and easy to whip up. It was simple to make gluten free too. I couldn’t find fresno peppers so I subbed jalapeno and it was very nice.
This one’s in my regular mid-week dinner rotation, thanks Tieghan!
Hey Michele,
I am absolutely delighted that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for making it! Have the best week☀️ xTieghan
Hi! Quick question-I ended up accidentally using all the hoisin sauce instead of the 1 tablespoon it says on the ingredients list. It tasted fine but are you really supposed to just use 1 tablespoon and save the rest?
Hey Keron,
Yes, that 1 tablespoon is correct. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I’ve made this probably five times now and really love this recipe! It’s so quick and easy yet very flavorful. The whole family loves it!
Hey Mandi,
I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xxTieghan
Great depth of flavour. My sauce didn’t thicken enough but would def make again for the ease and taste.
Hey Marilla,
Thanks so much! I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Really good! We just ate it for the second night in a row, and it was scrumptious again.
Hey Julie,
Happy Friday!! I am so excited that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you giving it a try!! xTieghan
Is there something that can be substituted for the Chinese 5 spice powder in the hoisin sauce?
Hey Michelle,
You could try using garam masala with star anise. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan