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A white plate with a serving of kung pao chicken on a bed of brown rice.
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5 from 6 votes

Easy Copycat Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken

Easy Copycat Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken is a flavorful dish featuring tender chicken, zucchini, red peppers and peanuts in a spicy sauce. It comes together very quickly and can be on the table in about half an hour.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time11 minutes
Total Time26 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: copycat Panda Express kung pao chicken recipe
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 305kcal
Author: Mindy Boyd

Ingredients

For the marinade

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 pound chicken breasts 1 very large or 2 small breasts

For the sauce

  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 6 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch

For the stir fry

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 1/4 cup peanuts
  • 6 scallions white parts only

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. 
    1 pound chicken breasts
  • In a medium bowl mix the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, corn starch and brown sugar. Stir the chicken pieces into the marinade and let sit while you chop the vegetables and prepare the homemade kung pao sauce.
    1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons corn starch, 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • Chop the red bell pepper, zucchini and scallions. 
    1 red bell pepper, 1 medium zucchini, 6 scallions
  • Mix chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl or measuring cup.
    You will add the corn starch right before you put the sauce into the frying pan.
    1/2 cup chicken broth, 6 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken, stirring constantly, until it is beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. 
    1 tablespoon canola oil
  • Add bell pepper, zucchini, and peanuts; continue to cook stirring very often after 3 1/2 minutes add the green onions and cook another minute or so. 
    1/4 cup peanuts
  • Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce, add the sauce mixture to the pan and cook until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
    1 tablespoon corn starch
  • Serve over white rice, brown rice, fried rice, or lo mein noodles just like you would get at the Chinese restaurants.  

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and is for the stir fry only. 
See tips, notes, and suggestions in the post above. 

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Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 2016mg | Potassium: 818mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1318IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg