Kung Pao Chicken
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 27, 2025 
This copycat Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken recipe tastes better than your favorite Chinese takeout dish, and is made with simple ingredients that are easy to customize to your liking!
Better Than Panda Express Recipes
Although we don’t eat fast food often as a family, when we do, our go-to restaurant is almost always Panda Express. We are such big fans, in fact, we’ve made a few copycat Panda Express recipes over the years to enjoy those flavors we love from the comfort of home!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Like our version of Orange Chicken and Black Pepper Chicken, this simple and authentic Kung Pao Chicken Recipe tastes just like Panda Express’ famous dish, but better, because you have full quality control.
Why You’ll Love This Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
- Quick as Takeout – (When you include drive time :)) Marinate the chicken, stir fry with veggies and serve Kung Pao chicken with steamed rice for a spicy and satisfying dinner in under an hour!
- Control the Heat – Our easy homemade version of Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken can be made as spicy or as mild as you like.
- Easy Copycat Recipe – This dish has just the right balance of salty, savory, and salty flavors that taste familiar from your favorite takeout restaurant, but way better because you know exactly what’s in your food.
I suggest marinating the chicken pieces in the morning before heading out for the day. Then dinner takes only 4 easy steps and 30 minutes!
Ingredients and Tips
- Chicken – Use your choice of boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Breasts are leaner but thighs have more rich flavor.
- Marinade – You need a simple blend of corn starch, soy sauce, white wine (Shaoxing wine, mirin, or other mild wine), and brown sugar.
- Veggies – We use a classic combination of red bell pepper, zucchini, and scallions – plus Chinese red chiles (Tien Tsin or Sichuan peppers) for the signature heat.
- Oils etc – Use your choice of vegetable or peanut oil to cook the ingredients in a skillet, along with oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
- Aromatics – A bit of minced garlic and freshly grated ginger add a fabulous punch of flavor!
Recipe Variations
- Non-spicy – Simply omit the Chinese red chiles to make a dish that isn’t technically Kung Pao chicken, but still has a delicious blend of East Asian flavors.
- Even Spicier – While this recipe has a good bit of kick to it as-is, feel free to add an extra dried red chili for even more delicious spiciness. If you can’t find Chinese dried peppers, you can substitute ½ – teaspoon crushed red pepper.
- Gluten-free – Just be sure to use a GF soy sauce and oyster sauce for a completely gluten-free-friendly dish.
How to Make Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken
This is a fabulous prep ahead recipe! Get the chicken marinating at least 30 minutes before you plan to cook, or prep it in morning and keep in the fridge all day.
Find the full Copycat Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – This copycat Panda Express recipe is great to make ahead and include in your weekly meal plan! Leftovers will keep well for up to 4-5 days. Let the chicken and veggies cool completely before storing them in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Freezing – After cooling, the saucy chicken and veggies can also be frozen in an airtight freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheating – Simply reheat in the microwave in 30 second bursts at 50% power. Stir a bit between bursts, until the meat and vegetables are warm all the way through.
Serving Suggestions
Sauce and spicy Kung Pao Chicken is perfect to enjoy over a bed of freshly steamed white rice, hearty brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low carb dish.
Serve with Panda Express Super Greens and Homemade Potstickers for a fabulous complete meal that’s better than any pickup!
Frequently Asked Questions
Authentic Kung Pao is a Chinese stir fry dish that is brimming with veggies and bold spices in a spicy sauce.
You betcha! The heat in this dish comes from red chiles, also known as Tien Tsin peppers. These are super hot, like several times hotter than jalapeños.
While General Tso’s chicken has a nice bite of spiciness, Kung Pao is definitely spicier.
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Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade –
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breast or thigh meat cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or Mirin, or white wine
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
For the Chicken Stir-Fry and Sauce –
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small zucchini cut into bite-sized chunks
- ¾ cup chopped scallions
- ¾ cup dry roasted peanuts
- 4-6 dried Chinese red chiles cut into segments (Tien Tsin peppers)
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- For the Marinade: Cut the chicken into 1-inch bite-sized pieces. Place the chicken chunks in a large zip bag. Add in 2 tablespoons each of cornstarch, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and brown sugar. Close the bag and massage the chicken to coat all the pieces. Then chill for at least 30 minutes. (Or all day.)
- Meanwhile, chop the bell pepper, zucchini, scallions, dried chiles, garlic and ginger.
- For the Stir Fry Sauce: In a small measuring pitcher (or bowl) mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, ginger, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Set a large sauté pan (or wok) over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil. Once hot, add in the chicken and marinade. Stir fry the chicken pieces until mostly cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Then stir in the red bell pepper, zucchini, and peanuts. Stir-fry the vegetables for another 2 minutes, until lightly cooked, but still firm.
- Stir in the sauce and stir fry another 2 minutes, until thick and well coated. Finally stir in the scallions. Serve warm over rice, fried rice, or cauliflower rice.
Notes
- Storing Leftovers – This copycat Panda Express recipe is great to make ahead and include in your weekly meal plan! Leftovers will keep well for up to 4-5 days. Let the chicken and veggies cool completely before storing them in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Freezing – After cooling, the saucy chicken and veggies can also be frozen in an airtight freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheating – Simply reheat in the microwave in 30 second bursts at 50% power. Stir a bit between bursts, until the meat and vegetables are warm all the way through.
My picky husband and kids loved this recipe and it is now on rotation for our weekly dinners! Thank you so much for sharing, it came out delicious!
This legit tasted like the kung pao chicken I’ve had at Panda Express! And it wasn’t hard at all. Will definitely make again. I prepped the ingredients and sauce over the weekend so on the weeknight all I had to do was dump and cook. Very easy! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This recipe was absolutely amazing! My mom is very hard to please and she loves it! I will be definitely making this recipe again!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I didn’t have to change a thing. My best stir fry ever!
Kung Pao is always my go-to takeout choice – can’t believe how well this at home version mimics the real thing – so good!
We love getting Panda’s kung pao, but I love that we can make it just as delicious at home!
First time making something from your site; very impressed! This taste like the real deal, and a little less oily to boot! Served with lightly spiced grilled veggies and brown rice. Thank you!
thank you, love how accessible this is, and love that its a copy cat recipe too, now to find those Chinese dried peppers!
This was the best and I will only make at home from now on.
You are so right- this is so much better than Panda Express! I love the flavors, and I don’t do as much spice so it’s simple to adjust. So very good!!
The flavoring of this chicken is so much better than the one at Panda Express. (I do love panda when I don’t feel like cooking, but cooking it yourself always tastes so much better!)