Chinese
Kung Pao Chicken
Diced chicken stir-fried with peanuts and dried chilli in a sweet-savoury-sour sauce — a 20-minute Sichuan classic over rice.
About this recipe
Kung Pao Chicken is a chinese lunch for 2 that is a fast, high-heat stir-fry — have everything chopped before the wok gets hot. It’s built around chicken, and it takes around 20 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 300g, cubed chicken breast
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 stalks spring onion
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 bowls, cooked rice
- 1/2 cup peanuts buy
- 5 dried chilli buy
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce buy
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Toss the chicken with a little cornstarch and soy. Mix the rest of the soy, vinegar and sugar into a sauce.
~4 min
- 2
Stir-fryStir-fry.Cook small pieces fast over high heat while constantly moving them.Glossary → the chicken in hot oil until golden, 6 min; add the dried chilli and garlic, 1 min.
~8 min
- 3
Pour in the sauce to thicken, then toss with peanuts and spring onion. Serve over rice.
~4 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Chicken breast
- chicken thigh (more forgiving), prawns, or firm tofu.
- Garlic
- garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push.
- Spring onion
- thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish.
- Soy sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water.
- Dark soy sauce
- regular soy + a few drops of molasses or a pinch of sugar for colour.
- Rice vinegar
- cider vinegar or white vinegar cut with a little water.
Cook's notes
- Smash each clove with the flat of your knife first — the skin slips off and it minces in seconds. How to mince garlic →
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Deseed the chilli for less heat, and wash your hands (or wear a glove) before touching your eyes. How to prep chilli →
- Keep the white and green parts separate — whites go in early with the aromatics, greens at the end. How to chop spring onions →
Storage & leftovers
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
Frequently asked
How long does Kung Pao Chicken take to make? +
Around 20 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, frying pan / wok. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Chicken breast → chicken thigh (more forgiving), prawns, or firm tofu; Garlic → garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push; Spring onion → thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Kung Pao Chicken ahead of time? +
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
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