Kung Pao Chicken with Sweet-Sour Sauce and Roasted Peanuts
By Emma Collins
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Servings
6
Level
Easy
Dinner comes together in 30 minutes in one wok or large skillet, with a short stir-fry sequence that keeps cleanup contained in a single focused cooking session. This Kung Pao chicken pairs golden, tender chicken with bell peppers, roasted peanuts, green onions, and a sweet-sour sauce with dried-chile heat.
Chicken breasts are coated with cornstarch, low-sodium soy sauce, dry sherry, oil, salt, and pepper before cooking; this velveting-style marinade is described as protecting the meat during high-heat stir-frying. The sauce combines broth, two soy sauces, vinegar, sherry, hoisin, sugar, and cornstarch. Bell peppers, garlic, ginger, dried red chilies, peanuts, and green onions round out the pan for the final stir-fry.
Have every component cut, measured, and beside the stove before starting, since the chicken, vegetables, and sauce are cooked in quick succession. The chicken should turn golden brown and be almost fully cooked before it leaves the pan. After four minutes of stir-frying peppers, garlic, ginger, and chilies, the sauce should visibly thicken at a simmer. Adding chicken only then helps it coat evenly and makes the thickening cue easier to see.
Serve immediately after the final toss, while the peanuts and sesame seeds remain distinct against the saucy chicken. The article suggests fluffy white rice and names Korean carrot salad or vegetable stir fry as side options. For later portions, reserve any sesame seed garnish until serving if possible.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Saves a takeout run because the complete dinner cooks in about 30 minutes, using a quick chicken marinade and a sauce whisked before the pan heats.
- One wok or large skillet handles browning, vegetables, sauce, and final tossing, so the recipe avoids transferring components between several pans.
- Prep stays manageable because the chicken marinates while you whisk sauce and cut vegetables, keeping the fast stir-fry stage organized.
- Uses accessible pantry seasonings such as soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and chicken broth, while balsamic vinegar is listed as an alternative to black vinegar.
- Feeds six servings with chicken, peppers, peanuts, and green onions in each portion, making it useful when several people need dinner at once.
- Requires no specialized wok because a large skillet is specified, yet the chicken can still brown before the sauce thickens around it.
Ingredients
- •24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- •salt
- •black pepper
- •2 tbsp cornstarch
- •4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- •2 tbsp dry sherry wine (or Chinese Shaoxing wine)
- •2 tsp oil
- •0.25 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- •2 tsp dark soy sauce
- •0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- •2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
- •2 tbsp dry sherry wine (or Chinese Shaoxing wine)
- •2 tsp hoisin sauce
- •1 tbsp sugar
- •1 tsp cornstarch
- •4 tbsp oil (for frying)
- •6 dried red chili peppers (roughly chopped)
- •0.5 large green bell pepper (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- •0.5 large red bell pepper (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- •1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
- •4 large cloves garlic (about 2 tbsp, pressed)
- •6 green onions (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- •0.5 cup roasted peanuts
- •1 tsp sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken into bite-sized cubes.
- 2
Combine the chicken marinade ingredients.
- 3
Add the chopped chicken and let it sit for at least 10 minutes to tenderize.
- 4
In a separate dish, combine the Kung Pao sauce ingredients.
- 5
Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved and the sauce is smooth, then set aside.
- 6
Preheat a wok or large skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil.
- 7
Add the chicken and cook on medium-high until golden brown and almost fully cooked.
- 8
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- 9
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pan.
- 10
Add the chopped bell peppers, pressed garlic, grated ginger, and dried chilies.
- 11
Toss together in the pan and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
- 12
Add the prepared Kung Pao sauce to the pan and stir everything together.
- 13
As soon as the sauce starts to thicken, add the chicken to the pan.
- 14
Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- 15
Add the chopped green onion, peanuts, and sesame seeds, then stir to combine.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
372
Protein
31g
Fat
20g
Carbs
17g
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