This easy Kung Pao chicken is a Chinese-inspired stir fry made with tender chicken breast, crisp vegetables, peanuts and a sticky homemade sauce. Unlike an authentic Kung Pao, this version uses black pepper and ground coriander instead of Sichuan peppercorns. It's still ready in 30 minutes, but it's more accessible for a weekly meal prep as you don't need to go to a specialty Asian store.
The idea for this recipe came from the Kung Pao chicken at my local Chinese restaurant. I loved the unusual tingly feeling the sauce left on my tongue, so I went home and looked into what created it - Sichuan peppercorns.
Buuuuut, the issue is that they can be inconvenient to find if you do not live near a specialty Asian grocer. And I'm lazy so I definitely don't expect you to make that extra trip for one spice when you already have a busy week. After some testing, I discovered that ground coriander and freshly cracked black pepper - while not authentic - it gets very close with a slightly tingly effect.
TL;DR
- Servings: 4
- Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes
- Meal prep: Balanced with lean protein, carbs and extra veg. The sauce coats the chicken keeping it moist when reheating.
- Fridge storage: 4 days (keep peanuts separate for crunchy topping)
- Freezer storage: 3-6 months (store chicken mixture and rice separate or layered)
- Reheating: 1 minute intervals in microwave with splash of water.
- Customise: Change the vegetables, use chicken thigh or tofu, adjust the black pepper, or add dried chillies for extra heat.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Fakeaway. For when you do not want to spend $25 on one dish. Mix and match it with my honey ginger chicken or my Chinese lemon chicken
Extra veg. Unlike more traditional versions, this one includes capsicum, zucchini and carrot to add colour and variety.
No speciality ingredients. Black pepper and ground coriander create an accessible alternative to Sichuan peppercorns using spices available at most supermarkets.
Ingredients
Honey. Honey makes the Kung Pao sauce slightly sticky and provides subtle sweetness. Maple syrup can be used, but the finished sauce will not have quite the same sticky texture.
Brown sugar. Brown sugar deepens the sweetness and helps the sauce develop a darker, lightly caramelised finish as it reduces in the pan.
Soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Soy sauce forms the salty, savoury base while hoisin adds sweetness, body and complexity. Use reduced-salt soy sauce when you prefer more control over the seasoning.
Vinegar. Vinegar (I've used a couple different ones including Mirin, rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar) to cut through the honey, sugar and hoisin so the sauce tastes balanced rather than overly sweet.
Ginger. Freshly grated ginger provides a sharper and more fragrant kick than jarred ginger. Jarred ginger will still work when convenience matters more than intensity.
Chicken breast. Chicken breast keeps this fakeaway higher in lean protein and cooks quickly when diced.
Black pepper and ground coriander seeds. Freshly ground black pepper and coriander seeds create a spicy, earthy flavour that replaces the traditional Sichuan peppercorns in this accessible version. Use freshly ground spices where possible for a stronger aroma.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Substitutions and Variations
Chicken thigh. Replace the chicken breast with boneless chicken thigh cut into similar 2.5 cm or 1-inch pieces. Thigh is slightly richer and remains particularly tender after freezing and reheating.
Sichuan peppercorns. For a more traditional flavour, replace the black pepper and coriander combination with toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns. Begin with a small amount because their numbing effect becomes more noticeable as you eat.
Extra spicy. Add sliced fresh chilli, dried red chillies or chilli flakes with the green onion whites. Keep the black pepper as well if you want both heat and the peppery tingle.
Different vegetables. Broccoli, green beans, snow peas, celery or mushrooms can replace some of the capsicum, zucchini and carrot. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as too many vegetables can release water and stop them from stir-frying properly.
How to make Kung Pao Chicken
Step 1: Toss the diced chicken breast with cornflour and a little bit of soy together in a bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the cornflour to tenderize the chicken.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix together all the kung pao sauce ingredients except for the cornflour and water. In another small bowl, mix the cornflour and water until the cornflour has dissolved, creating a cornflour slurry (this will be used later to thicken up the sauce).
Step 3: Heat olive oil in a wok or a large, deep pan over high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until the pieces turn white and start to brown, approximately 5 minutes. Remove and set it aside. Note - depending on the size of your pan, you may have to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding.
Step 4: If needed, add a little bit more oil then add the onion to the same pan and cook until translucent and fragrant (approx. 2 minutes). Add garlic and ginger for another minute.
Step 5: Add the sliced capsicum, carrot, and zucchini to the pan and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender yet still crisp.
Step 6: Pour the prepared kung pao sauce and the cooked chicken back into the wok. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then add the cornflour slurry, stirring continuously until the sauce begins to thicken.
Step 7: Once the sauce has thickened, add the chopped peanuts and sliced green onions, stirring to combine everything well. Then serve immediately with some rice.
Lauren's Top Tips
Do not crowd the pan. A packed wok drops in temperature quickly, leaving the chicken pale and the vegetables watery. Use a large pan or cook the chicken in two batches.
Cut everything before starting. Stir-frying moves quickly once the pan is hot, so prepare the chicken, vegetables, aromatics and sauce before turning on the heat
Meal Prepping Kung Pao Chicken
This Kung Pao chicken is an easy Asian meal-prep option because it combines lean protein from chicken breast with vegetables from the capsicum, zucchini and carrot. Add cooked rice, noodles or another carbohydrate to make four complete lunches.
The sauce also works in your favour during storage. It settles into the chicken and rice overnight, so the flavour becomes more evenly distributed while helping the chicken remain moist when reheated.
Storing
Allow the dish to cool at room temperature (no more than 2 hours) before putting the lid on your meal prep containers. Trapping large amounts of steam can create condensation and soften both the vegetables and peanuts.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If possible, keep the rice and chicken separate (or opposite sides of the container like pictured) to maintain best texture.
If you want crunchy peanuts for your prep, keep these stored separate.
Reheating
Add a small drizzle of water to the sauce and rice before reheating. Microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring after each interval, until heated through, which will usually take approximately 2-3 minutes depending on the portion and microwave.
The added water loosens the chilled sauce and creates steam, helping to rehydrate the rice and prevent the chicken from drying out. Add peanuts and fresh green onions after heating rather than before.
Freezing
Freeze the Kung Pao chicken for up to 3 months. The chicken and sauce freeze well, although the zucchini will become softer after defrosting, so replace it with broccoli, capsicum or green beans when freezer texture is your highest priority.
My personal preference is to freeze the complete meal because I am lazy and I want future-me to have as little work as possible. Add the Kung Pao chicken mixture to the bottom of a 2-cup Souper Cube and place the cooked rice on top (see image above). Keeping the rice above the sauce stops it from soaking up too much liquid and becoming mushy.
You can also freeze the components separately, placing the chicken mixture in a 1-cup Souper Cube and the rice in another (see image below). This provides more flexibility when you want a smaller portion, need extra rice or decide to serve the chicken with noodles instead.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or reheat directly from frozen using the microwave's defrost setting. Add a tablespoon of water or an ice cube, cover loosely and heat in short intervals, breaking up the food as it softens before switching to full power.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
The sauce will not thicken properly if the cornflour has settled at the bottom of the bowl or if the mixture has not reached a simmer. Stir the slurry immediately before adding it, then let the sauce bubble for 1-2 minutes while stirring.
Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces, coat it lightly in cornflour and remove it from the pan before it is completely cooked. It finishes cooking in the Kung Pao sauce, which prevents it from remaining over high heat for too long.
Yes. This recipe uses freshly ground black pepper and coriander seeds to provide an accessible earthy, spicy alternative, although the flavour will not be identical to an authentic version made with Sichuan peppercorns.
Other Asian meal prep recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my easy Asian-inspired recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Kung Pao Chicken without Sichuan Peppercorns
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Equipment
- wok, optional
- Rice Cooker, optional
Ingredients
Kung Pao Sauce
- 2 teaspoon honey, subs note 1
- ¼ cup soy sauce, subs note 2
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar, subs note 3
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, subs note 4
- 2 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- ½ cup water
Kung Pao Stir Fry
- 600 g (1 lb) chicken breast, approx.3 large breasts
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra olive oil
- 1 brown onion
- 4 green onions, sliced, whites removed
- 1 capsicum / bell pepper
- 1 zucchini
- 1 carrot, approx.1, sliced
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
- 2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Serve with
- ½ peanuts , chopped
- 1 ½ cup rice , yields approx.4 cups cooked
Instructions
Prepare
- Slice 600 g (1 lb) chicken breast into approx. 1inch cubes. Toss with 2 tbsp cornflour and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Set aside for approx. 10 minutes.
- Cook 1 ½ cup rice your way or see my tips for cooking rice.
- Thinly slice: 1 brown onion, 4 green onions, 1 capsicum / bell pepper, 1 zucchini, 1 carrot.
- Grate/mix: 2 garlic cloves, 2 tsp ginger. Mix together with: 2 tsp honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar.
Cook stir fry
- Heat 1 tbsp extra olive oil in wok or large and deep pan over high heat with a little oil. Add 600 g (1 lb) chicken breast and cook until it turns white (approx. 5 minutes). Remove.
- Add sliced 1 brown onion and cook until translucent (approx. 3 minutes) then add in 1 capsicum / bell pepper, 1 zucchini, 1 carrot for a further 2 minutes.
- Add sauce and the chicken into the wok and bring the sauce to a simmer (bubbling) (approx. 3-5 minutes). While waiting, mix together 1 tbsp cornflour and ½ cup water to make a cornflour slurry.
- Once sauce is bubbling, add cornflour slurry and continue stirring until it begins to thicken. Once thickened, add 2 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp coriander seeds, ½ peanuts , 4 green onions. Toss
Serve
- Serve with rice.
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