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Quick and Easy Kung Pao Chicken with Zucchini
Chicken dishes are always a win when it comes to weeknight dinners, and Kung Pao chicken is one of those perfect recipes that comes together in 30 minutes or less. It’s quick, flavorful, and perfect with a side of steamed rice for a satisfying meal.
I’m always looking for ways to add more vegetables to our meals, so I included zucchini in this Kung Pao recipe. It adds a nice balance to the bold, savory flavors while giving the dish a little extra texture and freshness. Plus, it’s an easy way to sneak in more veggies without much effort.
In our family, we stick to chicken breast—we just prefer white meat over dark. So, this recipe uses chicken breast for a lean, tender bite every time. And of course, no Kung Pao chicken is complete without that classic crunch from roasted peanuts. But if you have a nut allergy, feel free to skip them. The dish is still full of flavor and texture without them.
Simple, quick, and packed with flavor, this Kung Pao chicken is one of those reliable recipes that makes dinner feel effortless but still delicious.
Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs chicken breast, cut into one inch pieces
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup avocado oil, or any neutral oil, divided in half
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 whole onion, cut into one inch pieces
- 7 green onion stalks, cut into one inch pieces (white part only), save green part and chop for garnish
- 4 red bell peppers, cut into one inch pieces
- 2 cups zucchini, cut into one inch pieces
- 1 Tbsp ginger, peeled, chopped
- ½ cup dried whole chili peppers
- 2 Tbsp Thai chili peppers, chopped
- 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns , crushed
- ½ cup peanuts
- 2 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
- ⅓ cup mushroom powder
- 2 Tbsp hoisin
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
Thickener:
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large skillet, on medium high heat, add ¼ cup fish sauce and ¼ cup sugar. Cook until the sugar melts and begins to caramelize and turn an amber color. Add chicken and cook it untouched for 5 minutes, then toss and cook for another 5 minutes untouched. Remove chicken along with all of its juices and put in a bowl. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, add ¼ cup avocado oil along with 1 Tbsp sesame oil, then saute garlic, onion, green onions, bell pepper, zucchini and ginger for a minute.
- Add dried chili peppers, Thai chili peppers, sichuan peppercorns and peanuts and cook for a minute, continuously tossing.
- Then add Shaoxing wine, mushroom powder, hoisin, and vinegar and mix it all in.
- Turn heat to high, then bring the chicken back into the wok along with all of its juices.
- NOTE: If your sauce looks pretty thick then you do not need to add thickener. Otherwise if not, then add the thickener and stir fry for another 5 mins, constantly tossing.
- Garnish with chopped green onions.
- Serve with rice. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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