Fast Healthy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

This Kung Pao Chicken Recipe is savory, saucy, and sensational. It’s one of our favorite healthy and fast chicken recipes for any busy weeknight. This amazing Kung Pao Chicken is doubly delicious over a bowl of fluffy rice. 

kung pao chicken recipe chicken recipes

Healthier Kung Pao Chicken that’s better than takeout

This entire winter, I’ve been dragging my sleepy self out of bed by 6am every Saturday morning for long runs under the fierce Minnesotan weather that has stubbornly refused to lighten up.

Every single time, I re-ask my exhausted brain why I keep doing this to myself.

After moving forward as fast as my Nikes will go for 3 hours on snow and ice, I’m pretty much useless the rest of the day. I end up scatterbrained all afternoon and doing wonky things like drowning my earbuds in the washing machine.

Hubby had me try resuscitating those soaked earbuds by immersing them in a bag of uncooked rice.  And wouldn’t you know…it did the trick. My  earbuds somehow work beautifully again, thanks to rice.

I’m totally not advising anyone to bury their electronics in jasmine rice, but I am giving you something delicious to accompany that rice instead: this awesome Kung Pao Chicken.

This Kung Pao Chicken recipe is one of those chicken recipes that your family will gobble up as quickly as you dish it up. It’s fast, healthy, and way better than takeout…

kung pao chicken recipe chicken recipes

What you’ll love about this Kung Pao Chicken

Here’s why this Kung Pao Chicken recipe is one of my favorite chicken recipes for busy weeknight dinners:

  • It’s fast and healthy
  • It’s boldly, deliciously flavorful
  • It’s loaded with veggies and protein all in one
  • It’s amazing over a bed of fluffy rice
  • It can be made in advance and reheats excellently

Plus, this Kung Pao Chicken recipe happens to be gluten free and dairy free, so everyone can enjoy.

kung pao chicken recipe chicken recipes

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Fast Healthy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

This Kung Pao Chicken Recipe is savory, saucy, and sensational. It’s one of our favorite healthy and fast chicken recipes for any busy weeknight. This amazing Kung Pao Chicken is doubly delicious over a bowl of fluffy rice.

  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 9 mins
  • Total Time: 24 mins

Yield: 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Marinade:
  • 2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite size pieces
  • 3 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 TB regular soy sauce
  • 4 tsp Asian rice cooking wine
  • For the Sauce:
  • 4 TB Asian seasoned rice vinegar
  • 4 tsp regular soy sauce
  • 4 tsp Hoisin sauce
  • 4 tsp toasted sesame oil (Asian aisle of most grocery stores)
  • 4 tsp pure honey
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • To Cook:
  • 4 TB olive oil
  • 5–6 dried chilies
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tsp freshly minced ginger
  • 1 large bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange) seeded and chopped
  • 1/4 cups green onions, thinly sliced
  • Optional: 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Towel dry chicken pieces to remove excess liquid. Place chicken in a bowl and add all Marinade ingredients, stirring until all cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
  2. In a bowl, combine all Sauce ingredients and stir well until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
  3. In a large wok or large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until oil is hot. Add chilies, garlic, and ginger, continually stirring 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add marinated chicken and keep stirring until no longer pink in center, 3-5 minutes. Add bell pepper, stirring 1 minute. Add your Sauce, stirring to coat well and heat through, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle on the green onions and transfer to serving dish or individual plates. Garnish with roasted peanuts if desired. Serve over cooked white or brown rice.
  • Author: Chew Out Loud
  • Category: main dish, chicken
  • Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Kitchen Stuff we Love:

Way Better than Takeout:

30-Minute Asian Orange Beef

asian orange beef

Healthy Garlic Szechuan Shrimp

Asian Sticky Rice

One-Pan Thai Fried Rice (GF)

Did you make this?

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27 comments

    • franckxethee

    I would love the Kung pao chicken. It looks so delicious along with the other meal choices. I’m sure I’m gonna eat a lot with this.

    • Crystal Gareau

    These recipes and photos look so mouth-watering delicious.

    • Heather Barber McMechan

    I don’t know what I like most about the recipe — how simple it is to make or how delicious it looks! I can’t wait to try this over the weekend. Fingers crossed our girls will like it.

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