Savory Tooth

Simple Tasty Recipes

Kung Pao Chicken

Updated Published Dec 28, 2016 By 7 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links.

Summary:
This quick homemade version of Kung Pao Chicken is a spicy and saucy dish featuring bell peppers, zucchini, and crunchy peanuts.
cooking kung pao chicken in black skillet

Kung Pao Chicken

5 from 3 votes
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch chunks
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 5 dried whole red chili peppers, seeded and diced (Note 1)
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Marinade:

Sauce:

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Marinate Chicken: Stir together all marinade ingredients in large bowl until corn starch is dissolved. Add chopped chicken, and stir until marinade is mostly absorbed. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  • Prepare Ingredients: Stir together all sauce ingredients in small bowl until well-mixed; set aside. Verify that all vegetables, chili peppers, and peanuts are chopped and ready to go.
  • Heat Oil: Heat oil in wide nonstick pan (Note 4) over medium-high heat for a few minutes until hot. Add dried chilis and briefly stir with oil, about 15 seconds.
  • Cook Chicken & Veg: Add chicken with marinade to pan. Cook until chicken is cooked on the outside, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chopped bell pepper and zucchini, and cook until starting to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add Sauce: Pour prepared sauce into pan, and stir to coat chicken and vegetables with sauce. Simmer to thicken sauce, less than 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve: Remove pan from heat. Transfer to serving bowls, and top with chopped peanuts. Serve (Note 5).

NUTRITION

Makes 4 Servings
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 350 (32% from fat)  
Total Fat 13g 19%
   Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 99mg 33%
Sodium 930mg 39%
Net Carb 10g  
Total Carb 12g 4%
   Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
   Sugars 6g  
Protein 42g  
Vitamin A 24% · Vitamin C 81% · Calcium 3% · Iron 9%

PHOTOS

cooking kung pao chicken in black skillet
ingredients for making kung pao chicken
kung pao chicken served on white plate

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Dried Red Chili Peppers. Use Chinese or Thai dried red chili peppers; if you can’t find them at your grocery store, substitute with Latin chili peppers or crushed red pepper. To dice, use a knife or kitchen shears to cut them into small pieces, which helps release their heat during cooking. Some people prefer to use the chilis whole, but I find that it ends up being purely decorative and doesn’t impart much flavor. The amount listed in the recipe yields a moderately spicy dish; for a less spicy version, use only 1 or 2 chili peppers, or omit entirely.
(2) Corn Starch. This ingredient tenderizes the chicken and provides a nice glossy finish to the sauce. A total of 3 teaspoons of corn starch is used, which contributes 7 grams of net carbs to the whole recipe, or less than 2 grams per serving. I don’t recommend substituting with xanthan gum, which is easy to overdo and end up with a gloopy mess, and will not give a tenderizing effect to the chicken.
(3) Sriracha. I use the brand Huy Fong. You can substitute with another chili garlic sauce or your favorite hot sauce.
(4) Pan. Use a nonstick pan, preferably one at least 10 inches wide and 2 inches tall. I use an 11-inch nonstick pan with 3 quart capacity. Avoid stainless steel pans, as the marinated chicken will easily stick.
(5) Serving. Serve hot, with sides like riced cauliflower or Asian cucumber salad.

More Asian Takeout

close up view of asian lettuce wrap

Asian Lettuce Wraps

overhead view of butter chicken

Butter Chicken

pouring peanut sauce over thai salad

Thai Chicken Salad

overhead view of chicken satay skewers on white plate

Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce

About Julia

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julia is a recipe developer and the founder of Savory Tooth. Since 2015, she has been sharing simple recipes for tasty dishes, mostly low carb and gluten free. Learn more.

4000
Did you make this? Rate this recipe:




newest oldest most voted
austin

this was really good. we doubled the zucchini and used 1/4 tsp ground ginger based on what we had on hand. thanks julia.

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Char B

Made this tonight. It packs a lot of heat (we didn’t seed the dried peppers), but we loved every bite. Can’t wait to try you other low carb suggestions.

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Victoria

This is delicious! So quick and easy. My husband wouldn’t mind if it became a weekly dish. Thanks for the great recipes!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
9 months ago
John

Tried to make it as directed, little short on the chicken. It was so good in fact that my wife went back for seconds.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Mimi

Love this! Such a great recipe.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Alicja

mmm… looks tasty 🙂

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
5 years ago
Lauren @ Ease and Carrots

This looks fabulous! Pinning now 🙂

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
6 years ago
MENU