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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!
Healthier 25 Minute Kung Pao Chicken.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 428 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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
- 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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
HEAVEN!
Thanks Larissa! 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
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
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
Loved it!
Thanks so much Molly! 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
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