Kung Pao Chicken
with Sweet Szechuan Sauce, Peanuts & Jasmine Rice
- Soy
- Wheat
- Sesame
- Peanuts
- Milk
You know that feeling? That insatiable, after-dark craving for a steaming white carton of takeout goodness? Yeah, us too. Fortunately, our chefs have got all your food desires covered—no carton required. In your new go-to, tender chicken is mixed with toasted peanuts, sautéed bell pepper and scallions, and coated in a thick sweet Szechuan sauce. Paired with fluffy jasmine rice and a pinch of chili flakes to garnish, we think you’ll agree: Kung Pao is king.
Ingredients
½ cup
Jasmine Rice
1 unit
Bell Pepper
2 unit
Scallions
1 clove
Garlic
4 tablespoon
Sweet Soy Glaze
(Contains: Soy, Wheat)
5 teaspoon
Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoon
Szechuan Paste
(Contains: Soy, Wheat, Sesame)
1 tablespoon
Cornstarch
10 ounce
Chicken Breast Strips
1 ounce
Peanuts
(Contains: Peanuts)
1 teaspoon
Chili Flakes
Not included in your delivery
2.5 teaspoon
Sugar
2 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
2 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Salt
Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• In a small pot, combine rice, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
• Meanwhile, wash and dry produce. • Core, deseed, and dice bell pepper into ½-inch pieces. Trim scallions, then cut crosswise into ¾-inch pieces. Peel and mince garlic. • In a small bowl, whisk together half the vinegar, half the Szechuan paste, 2½ TBSP sweet soy glaze, 2 tsp cornstarch (you’ll use the rest later), 2½ tsp sugar, and ¾ cup water. (For 4 servings, use all the vinegar and Szechuan paste, 5 TBSP sweet soy glaze, 4 tsp cornstarch, 5 tsp sugar, and 1¼ cups water.)
• Heat a large, dry pan over medium-high heat. Add peanuts and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and toasted, 2-4 minutes. • Transfer to a second small bowl; set aside. • Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until browned and just tender, 4-5 minutes. • Add scallions; cook until softened, 1-2 minutes more. • Transfer to a third small bowl; set aside.
• Meanwhile, pat chicken* dry with paper towels. Place in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Toss with remaining cornstarch until thoroughly coated. • Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for veggies over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer; cook, undisturbed, until browned, 3-4 minutes. • Stir and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, 1-2 minutes more.
• Return veggies to pan with chicken. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. • Add sweet Szechuan sauce; cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes more. • Remove pan from heat. Stir in peanuts, 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), and chili flakes to taste. TIP: If sauce seems too thick, stir in a splash of water.
• Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and season with salt to taste. • Divide rice between bowls. Mound kung pao chicken to the side. Garnish chicken with any remaining chili flakes to taste and serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Feb 2026- Flavor: Many loved the authentic taste, with some finding it better than takeout; a few thought it was too sweet or bland.
- Ease of prep: Some found it quick and easy, while others felt it had too many steps or took longer than expected.
- Suggestions: Consider adding more veggies like broccoli or carrots; some recommend adjusting water in sauce for better consistency 🍲.
- Portions: Several mentioned wanting more rice to balance the sauce; a few found the overall portion size small.
- Spice level: Opinions varied widely, with some loving the heat and others finding it too spicy or not spicy enough.
Reviews from our home cooks
I had never had Kung Pao Chicken before but it was Amazing. I don't care for peanuts in my food but the sauce was so perfect. I hope I get to try this again or a dish with a similar sauce. I was worried about the rice because it was such a small portion but I had downloaded the app and the timer and instructions had the rice perfect! This was my 1st dish I made with Hello Fresh I love it!
Kung Pao chicken is my husband's favorite dish. He said "this is better than any Chinese takeout I've ever had. Tell them to make this a hall of fame!"
Great new flavor. Did not need the red chili flakes (overshadows the great flavors of the Kung Pao sauce). This one has a lot of little steps, but they are all worth it. It was a 'honey that was really good!' kiss on the cheek!
We've never tried the Kung Pao Chicken before and we are experimenting with all different kinda of meals. We found this dish super delicious and the peanuts gave it an extra crunch that was very satisfying.
When it comes to kung pao, I'm pretty picky. So I'm real glad that this recipe is delicious with so few ingredients to chop up.
We love Kung Pao chicken but this recipe fell flat. There wasn't enough flavor and it definitely didn't taste spicy or similar to kung pao chicken. The sauce wasn't the color on the recipe card - it was brown but on the card it's red. This is at least the third time that I've made a sauce from the recipe card that came out a different color than what's in the picture, and in each time it was an Asian dish and they all didn't have the flavor we were hoping for.
Why is butter added to both the rice and the kung pao chicken when Asian food is traditionally dairy free? We didn't add it and it was still delicious. Just a strange ingredient to have in this recipe.
My favorite dish so far. Unbelievably delicious and easy to prepare. Winner winner, Kung Pao Chicken dinner!
Taste better than restaurant kung Pao chicken! Would love to have this again!!
Very good, IF... It seems that your recipes always include 4 Tbls of sweet soy, but my family feels like it becomes too soy and the other flavors are lost. I tried a scant 3 Tbls and a little more of the Szechuan paste and it was perfect. Also added in some grated ginger in the garlic step.
