Kung Pao Chicken

Rice, Chicken

,

Hearty, High Protein

Kung Pao Chicken is a flavorful, protein-packed meal-prep dish featuring tender chicken thighs stir-fried with crisp bell peppers, red onion, and roasted peanuts in a rich, savory sauce with subtle heat and warming Sichuan pepper. The sauce delivers the perfect balance of salty, umami, and lightly spicy notes while keeping the dish glossy and satisfying. Served with fluffy jasmine rice, this recipe is ideal for meal prepping, offering great texture even after reheating. It’s quick to prepare, easy to portion, and designed to stay delicious throughout the week, making it a reliable go-to for both busy weekdays and stress-free cooking.

Prep Time

15 Min

Cooking Time

30 Min

Total Time

45 Min

Servings:

6

Portions

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1.2 kg Chicken Thigh, diced

Marinade

  • 120 g Light Soy Sauce

  • 42 g Shaoxing Cooking Wine

  • 60 g Oyster Sauce

  • 18 g Toasted Sesame Oil

  • 9 g Granulated Sugar (optional)

  • 6 cloves Garlic, grated

  • 18 g Fresh Ginger, grated

  • 3 g Sichuan Peppercorns, ground

  • 3 g Ground White Pepper

Stir-Fry Ingredients

  • 90 g Roasted Peanuts

  • 42 g Peanut Oil

  • 1 small Red Bell Pepper, diced

  • 1 small Green Bell Pepper, diced

  • 6 Spring Onions (Whites sliced for cooking & Greens sliced for garnish)

  • 1 medium Red Onion, diced

  • 3 small Red Chilies, sliced (optional)

  • Ground White Pepper, to taste

  • Salt, to taste

Jasmine Rice

  • 300 g Jasmine Rice

  • 500 ml Water

  • Salt, to taste

Servings:

6

Portions

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1.2 kg Chicken Thigh, diced

Marinade

  • 120 g Light Soy Sauce

  • 42 g Shaoxing Cooking Wine

  • 60 g Oyster Sauce

  • 18 g Toasted Sesame Oil

  • 9 g Granulated Sugar (optional)

  • 6 cloves Garlic, grated

  • 18 g Fresh Ginger, grated

  • 3 g Sichuan Peppercorns, ground

  • 3 g Ground White Pepper

Stir-Fry Ingredients

  • 90 g Roasted Peanuts

  • 42 g Peanut Oil

  • 1 small Red Bell Pepper, diced

  • 1 small Green Bell Pepper, diced

  • 6 Spring Onions (Whites sliced for cooking & Greens sliced for garnish)

  • 1 medium Red Onion, diced

  • 3 small Red Chilies, sliced (optional)

  • Ground White Pepper, to taste

  • Salt, to taste

Jasmine Rice

  • 300 g Jasmine Rice

  • 500 ml Water

  • Salt, to taste

Servings:

1

Portion

1x

2x

3x

4x

5x

6x

7x

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 200 g Chicken Thigh, diced

Marinade

  • 20 g Light Soy Sauce

  • 7 g Shaoxing Cooking Wine

  • 10 g Oyster Sauce

  • 3 g Toasted Sesame Oil

  • 1.5 g Granulated Sugar (optional)

  • 1 clove Garlic, grated

  • 3 g Fresh Ginger, grated

  • 0.5 g Sichuan Peppercorns, ground

  • 0.5 g Ground White Pepper

Stir-Fry Ingredients

  • 15 g Roasted Peanuts

  • 7 g Peanut Oil

  • 1/6 small Red Bell Pepper, diced

  • 1/6 small Green Bell Pepper, diced

  • 1 Spring Onion (Whites sliced for cooking & Greens sliced for garnish)

  • 1/6 medium Red Onion, diced

  • 0–1 small Red Chili, sliced (optional)

  • Ground White Pepper, to taste

  • Salt, to taste

Jasmine Rice

  • 50 g Jasmine Rice

  • 83 ml Water

  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

Instructions

Instructions

Prep the Ingredients

Dice the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
Wash and dice the red and green bell peppers and red onion.
Slice the spring onions, keeping the white parts for cooking and the green parts for garnish.
Grate the garlic and fresh ginger.
Slice the red chilies, if using.

Prepare the Sauce & Marinate the Chicken

In a bowl, combine all marinade ingredients until well mixed.
Transfer ⅓ of the sauce to the diced chicken and mix until evenly coated.
Set aside to marinate while preparing the rest of the dish.
Reserve the remaining ⅔ of the sauce for later.

Cook the Jasmine Rice

Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
Add the rice, water, and salt to a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy.
Keep warm until ready to serve.

Roast the Peanuts

Heat a wok over high heat without oil.
Add the roasted peanuts and toast, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant.
Remove from the wok immediately and set aside.

Cook the Chicken

Heat half of the oil in the wok over high heat.
Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and stir-fry until golden brown and fully cooked.
Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.

Stir-Fry the Vegetables

Add the remaining oil to the wok and reduce to medium-high heat.
Add the bell peppers, red onion, spring onion whites, and chilies.
Season lightly with salt and stir-fry until cooked but still crisp.

Combine & Glaze

Return the cooked chicken and roasted peanuts to the wok.
Pour in the reserved ⅔ of the sauce and toss everything together until well coated and glossy.
Adjust seasoning with salt and ground white pepper to taste.

Portion & Garnish

Divide the jasmine rice evenly between meal prep containers.
Top with the Kung Pao chicken mixture.
Finish with sliced spring onion greens as garnish.

Reheat / Warm Up

From the fridge:

  • Reheat in the microwave for 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway if possible.

  • Alternatively, reheat gently in a pan over low heat with a small splash of water or cream.

From the freezer:

  • For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge.

  • Reheat in the microwave or pan until hot throughout.

  • If reheating directly from frozen, defrost first, then heat fully.

Macronutrients

Macronutrients

Macronutrients

Nutrition Facts

Kung Pao Chicken

Per Serving

Calories

620.5

kcal

Fat

21.3

g

Carbohydrates

52.8

g

Protein

54.4

g

The calories and macros shown for this dish are calculated using the exact ingredients and amounts listed in this recipe.

If you use different brands, substitute ingredients, or adjust quantities, the nutritional values will change. To stay accurate with your tracking, calories and macros should always be calculated based on the products you actually use.

Our SimplyMealTracker is designed to make this process fast and effortless, allowing you to calculate calories and macros for any recipe, portion size, or ingredient variation in just a few clicks. The values shown here can be used as a reference for this specific version of the recipe.

Liked this recipe?

Let us know by writing a review

Latest Recipes

Pasta, Beef, Porc

30 Min

February 1, 2026

A rich and comforting Italian classic made with a beef-and-pork mince, garlic, white wine, cream, and pecorino romano, tossed through perfectly cooked spaghetti.

Pasta, Chicken

60 Min

January 25, 2026

A comforting French onion–inspired pasta layered with juicy chicken, jammy caramelized onions, and green beans. Rich, balanced, and meal-prep ready.

Rice, Chicken

35 Min

January 18, 2026

A balanced, meal-prep–friendly dish with tender chicken in a sweet and sesame sauce. Paired with jasmine rice and broccoli, it’s perfect for easy dinners and efficient weekly prep.

Chicken

35 Min

January 11, 2026

A fast, wok-style noodle dish with ginger-marinated chicken, crisp vegetables, and ramen noodles that reheat beautifully.

Rice, Beef

35 Min

January 4, 2026

Tender beef stir-fried with peppers, onions, and a garlic–ginger sauce, served with fluffy jasmine rice.

Simple, balanced meal prep recipes designed for busy people who still want to eat well.

Get Weekly Meal Prep Recipes

Simple, balanced meals. No spam.

Latest Recipes

Pasta, Beef, Porc

30 Min

February 1, 2026

A rich and comforting Italian classic made with a beef-and-pork mince, garlic, white wine, cream, and pecorino romano, tossed through perfectly cooked spaghetti.

Pasta, Chicken

60 Min

January 25, 2026

A comforting French onion–inspired pasta layered with juicy chicken, jammy caramelized onions, and green beans. Rich, balanced, and meal-prep ready.

Rice, Chicken

35 Min

January 18, 2026

A balanced, meal-prep–friendly dish with tender chicken in a sweet and sesame sauce. Paired with jasmine rice and broccoli, it’s perfect for easy dinners and efficient weekly prep.

Chicken

35 Min

January 11, 2026

A fast, wok-style noodle dish with ginger-marinated chicken, crisp vegetables, and ramen noodles that reheat beautifully.

Rice, Beef

35 Min

January 4, 2026

Tender beef stir-fried with peppers, onions, and a garlic–ginger sauce, served with fluffy jasmine rice.

Simple, balanced meal prep recipes designed for busy people who still want to eat well.

Latest Recipes

Pasta, Beef, Porc

30 Min

February 1, 2026

A rich and comforting Italian classic made with a beef-and-pork mince, garlic, white wine, cream, and pecorino romano, tossed through perfectly cooked spaghetti.

Pasta, Chicken

60 Min

January 25, 2026

A comforting French onion–inspired pasta layered with juicy chicken, jammy caramelized onions, and green beans. Rich, balanced, and meal-prep ready.

Rice, Chicken

35 Min

January 18, 2026

A balanced, meal-prep–friendly dish with tender chicken in a sweet and sesame sauce. Paired with jasmine rice and broccoli, it’s perfect for easy dinners and efficient weekly prep.

Chicken

35 Min

January 11, 2026

A fast, wok-style noodle dish with ginger-marinated chicken, crisp vegetables, and ramen noodles that reheat beautifully.

Rice, Beef

35 Min

January 4, 2026

Tender beef stir-fried with peppers, onions, and a garlic–ginger sauce, served with fluffy jasmine rice.

Simple, balanced meal prep recipes designed for busy people who still want to eat well.