Best Choice Kung Pao Chicken
A fiery, nutty stir-fry with tender chicken, peanuts, and a sweet-savory sauce for a restaurant-quality dish at home. This Chinese-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs boneless chicken thighs, peanuts, red bell pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup peanuts
- 1 red bell pepper
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
The wok we’d stir-fry this in → Best Woks for 2026: Carbon Steel, Nonstick & Flat-Bottom Picks + Buying Guide
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Trim and cut 1.5 lbs chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes. Marinate in 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp ginger for 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a wok over high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes until golden, then set aside.
- Step 3: In the same wok, add 1 medium red bell pepper and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until slightly charred.
- Step 4: Return chicken to the wok. Add 1 tbsp sriracha, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Cook for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
- Step 5: Toss in 1/2 cup peanuts and stir until toasted. Serve immediately with rice.






