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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
Marinade:
- 3 lbs chicken breast, cut into one inch pieces
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp sugar
Ingredients:
- ½ 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 low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp hoisin
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
Thickener:
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Add all marinade ingredients together and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large wok on high heat, add ¼ cup avocado oil and add the chicken. Cook the chicken untouched for 3 minutes, then toss and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove chicken from wok, but keep the juice.
- In the same wok, on medium high heat, 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.
- Then add dried chili peppers, Thai chili peppers, sichuan peppercorns and peanuts and cook for a minute, continuously tossing.
- Then add Shaoxing wine, mushroom powder, soy sauce, hoisin, sugar 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.
- 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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