My super easy Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken is a tasty dinner of wok fried, marinated chicken and stir fried vegetables. The tender zucchini and red bell peppers are tossed with peanuts, peppers, and a delicious ginger garlic sauce for this fan favorite entree! You will love this super fresh meal with all the flavors you know and expect from Panda Express!
Try my Hunan Chicken for another fantastic, spicy, stir-fried chicken dinner!
This easy to make Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken copycat recipe is an absolutely delicious and fresh version of the popular takeout entree!
Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken {Copycat Recipe}
I don’t know about your family, but my family is decidedly opinionated about what the best dishes are at Panda Express! Believe it or not, it’s my daughter that leans toward the spicy options.
This has been true for years now! How does your pickiest eater of three kids go to being the most adventurous?! Kids aside, this and the Sweetfire Chicken Breast are two of my personal Panda favorites!
How To Make Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken
Make the Chicken Marinade
Start with making your marinade after you have prepared your chicken. Combine the cubed chicken breast pieces in a medium size mixing bowl, with marinade ingredients including water, a beaten egg, salt, corn starch, and vegetable oil.
Stir until the marinade is smooth, and the chicken is thoroughly coated. Cover your bowl with cling film or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but ideally closer to an hour.
Make the Kung Pao Sauce
The next thing to prepare in advance is the the base of the kung pao sauce. Combine the second portion of water with soy sauce and cooking wine in a small to medium size bowl.
Low sodium soy sauce works great in this recipe! If you don’t have cooking wine, a white wine or cooking sherry will also work. *I like a dry white wine in this recipe, however, a dry red wine, Marsala wine, Port wine, or Madeira wine are all good options.
Wok Fry the Chicken
To cook your kung pao chicken, heat a wok, large skillet, or frying pan with 2 tablespoons of peanut oil ( or vegetable oil ) to high heat. Your oil should be shimmering and just starting to smoke before adding the strained, marinated pieces of chicken meat.
Wok fry the cubed chicken pieces in batches, as needed, until all of the chicken is a light golden brown. Some pink may still be showing, but the chicken will continue to cook when returned to the wok later.
Remove the cooked pieces of breaded chicken and transfer them to a plate. Set aside. If there are pieces of the breading in your cooking oil, use a strainer to remove any debris before moving on to cooking the vegetables.
Stir Fry the Vegetables
Add the remaining half tablespoon portion of peanut oil to the wok, then add the cubed red bell peppers and zucchini. Stir fry your vegetables for about 1 – 2 minutes, or until they have reached your preferred level of tenderness. *The peppers and zucchini will cook with the chicken once the sauce is added, so be careful not to overcook.
Transfer the cooked vegetables to a plate and set aside.
After the vegetables are out of your wok, add the twelve whole dried chili peppers to the oil. Turn them occasionally and keep a close eye on the peppers as they will brown quickly.
Cook the Kung Pao Sauce
Once the peppers have browned, add the sliced green onion, roasted peanuts, finely minced or crushed ginger and garlic, as well as the crushed red pepper flakes and sesame seed oil. Toss them quickly to combine, then immediately add the liquid portion of the kung pao sauce that included the soy sauce, water, and cooking wine.
The sauce will come to a boil quickly. While you are waiting, combine the cornstarch with cold water and mix to make your slurry.
Add the cornstarch slurry to your wok and the sauce, and stir until the sauce thickens slightly.
Finish the Kung Pao Chicken
Return the chicken and vegetables to your wok and toss in the sauce to coat all ingredients. Continue to stir fry your Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken until the chicken is heated through and cooked completely.
Serve the Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken immediately with your choice of sides, like my Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or my Hibachi Fried Rice! If you’re sticking with the Panda Express theme, the well loved Panda Express Chow Mein and Easy Fried Rice are also here and listed on my Panda Express Recipe Index page!
Check out all of my fabulous Panda Express copycat recipes on my Panda Express recipes index page! All of your favorite chicken, beef, shrimp entrees as well as chow mein, fried rice and vegetable sides!!
Panda Express Chicken Entrees
- Panda Express Orange Chicken
- Panda Express SweetFire Chicken Breast
- Panda Express Mushroom Chicken
- Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken (this page)
- Panda Express String Bean Chicken Breast
Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast (diced)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 red bell pepper (cut into cubed chunks, bite size, approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch)
- 1 large zucchini (cut into cubed chunks, bite size, approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch)
- 12 small dried chili peppers (whole, if under 3 inches in length, otherwise cut the peppers in half for shorter pieces)
- 3 green onions (1/2 inch pieces sliced on the diagonal, use the white portion of the green onion)
- 1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts (1/3 cup to just shy of 1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp garlic (finely minced or crushed)
- 1 tsp ginger (finely minced or crushed)
- 1 tsp crushed red bell pepper flakes
- 1 tsp sesame seed oil
- 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch (mixed with equal 1/2 tablespoon of water)
Chicken Marinade
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
Panda Express Kung Pao Sauce
- 1 tsp cooking wine (white wine or cooking sherry will also work)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
Chicken Marinade
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine chunks of chicken breast with marinade ingredients (water, egg, salt, cornstarch, vegetable oil). Mix until the marinade is smooth, then cover with plastic wrap or cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
Panda Express Kung Pao Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients (cooking wine, soy sauce, water) and set aside.
Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken
- Heat wok, large skillet, or frying pan with 2 tablespoons of peanut or vegetable oil over high heat until the oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke. Fry the chunks of marinated chicken in batches, if needed, until a light golden color, with some pink still showing. This will only take a minute or so, so watch closely to prevent them from overcooking.
- Transfer cooked chicken pieces to a plate, set aside. *Chicken will continue to cook later when stir fried with the vegetables.
- Remove debris from the cooking oil, if needed. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of peanut or vegetable oil to the wok, then add the cut red bell peppers and zucchini. Stir fry the vegetables for 1-2 minutes, or to your desired level of tenderness. Transfer vegetables from the wok to a plate and set aside.
- After removing the vegetables to a plate, add the 12 whole dried chili peppers to the hot wok oil and brown, turning occasionally. They will brown quickly.
- Once the peppers are browned, add the cut green onions, roasted peanuts, minced garlic and ginger, crushed red bell pepper flakes, and sesame seed oil. Toss to combine, then immediately add the soy mixture portion of the kung pao sauce.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then add the cornstarch slurry. Stir until thickened.
- Once the sauce has thickened, return the chicken and vegetables to stir fry. Continue to stir fry until well coated with sauce, and the chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma’s kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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Can’t wait to make this. What kind of cooking wine do you use? looks very delicious and Kung Pao is also my favorite! so I am very excited to make this.
My favorite for cooking is always a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, however, cooking sherry, madeira, or a dry red wine would be my next top choices. All are great choices! Thanks for asking!
I had to write a review because this recipe is so perfect. It tastes just like panda express. I’m in love! Thank you sharing this recipe !
Thank you, I love hearing that a recipe was a hit!