This One Pan Kung Pao Chicken with Noodles is a super easy Asian-inspired weeknight meal that the whole family will love! It’s ready in 30 minutes, and it’s the perfect alternative to take-out!
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
We LOVE a good take-out-style recipe. You know the ones… meals that taste like they’re from everybody’s favourite fast food places? This One Pan Kung Pao Chicken recipe is one of our go-to easy meals because it’s super flavourful, it’s a kid-approved dinner, and it comes together in no time flat. If you’re looking for a Chinese-take-out-style meal to make with basic ingredients, this Kung Pao chicken with noodles is the recipe for you!
Kung Pao chicken is a classic Chinese-style stir-fry dish that combines marinated chicken, crunchy veggies, peanuts or cashews, and a sweet and savoury sauce. While conventional Kung Pao chicken is more like a classic stir fry served over steamed rice, our recipe pairs the classic Kung Pao-style sauce with rice noodles, making it a satisfying one pan takeout-style dinner you can easily make at home in minutes!
There are SO many reasons we love this easy Kung Pao chicken recipe. Here are just a few!
- It’s FLAVOUR-PACKED: Every bite is coated in a savoury sweet and nutty sauce you’ll LOVE!
- It’s BETTER THAN TAKEOUT: It’s made with fresh ingredients and less oil than traditional take-out and it’s a family friendly dinner.
- It comes together in ONE PAN: This makes clean up quick and easy and prep super fast!
- It’s CUSTOMIZABLE: You can pick your family’s favourite veggies and adjust the spice and sweetness level to your preferences.
- It’s MEAL-PREP FRIENDLY: It keeps well in the fridge and reheats nicely.
Here’s a list of sides we love to serve alongside this easy Kung Pao Chicken recipe!
- Easy Japanese Cucumber Salad
- Asian Cabbage Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing
- Asian Cucumber Salad with Carrots
- Healthy Cucumber Lemonade
Want to make the BEST Kung Pao Chicken? Follow our PRO tips and tricks for the perfect Kung Pao Chicken every single time!
The longer the chicken marinates, the more tender and flavourful it gets, so for best results marinate the chicken in the fridge overnight. If you don’t have time for this, you can still make it right away without marinating, but if you marinate it for even 20 minutes the flavour will be better.
This is a quick recipe so make sure you have everything you need: the chopped scallions, the mixed sauce ingredients, cubed chicken, and the noodles, soaked in hot water. With proper prep this is a very fast recipe, and prepping a little bit ahead makes it so much easier.
Especially if you have a wok, use medium-high heat to get a nice sear on your chicken and veggies. You’ll want to make sure that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius), when it comes to the veggies you can just sear them so they still have bite to them and keep their shape.
Make sure that you pull the pan off the heat once the sauce thickened so that you don’t overcook the chicken, veggies, or noodles.
While the peanuts, celery, and peppers are the traditional options, you can also use zucchini, chili peppers, or cashews, and even some Sichuan peppercorns.
If you’re running into trouble with this Kung Pao Chicken recipe, try one of the solutions we recommend below:
Make sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved by mixing it with cold water before adding it to the warm sauce. Boil the sauce so that the sauce can thicken. If your sauce is still not to your desired preference, make another small cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water, add it gradually to the sauce, and boil until thickened.
Make sure you remove the chicken from the pan once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) so that you don’t overcook it and only add it back in after you’ve removed the pan from the heat.
To prevent the noodles from clumping together, drain them right before you use them and toss them with a splash of sesame oil to keep them from sticking together.
If your sauce is too salty, add a splash of rice wine vinegar or hoisin sauce so that the flavour is more balanced. You can also use low sodium soy sauce or a mix of low sodium soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
Here’s a list of the kitchen equipment you’ll need to make homemade Kung Pao Chicken (paid links):
- large knife
- Cutting Board
- measuring cups and spoons
- Garlic Press
- large skillet or wok
- Tongs
- mixing bowls
- Microplane Zester
Here’s a list of all the ingredients you’ll need to make this one pan Kung Pao chicken recipe (paid links):
For the marinade:
- 1 pound chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic
For cooking:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 spring onions
- 1 inch knob ginger
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 red bell peppers
- 3 sticks of celery
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup peanuts or raw cashews
- 7 ounces rice noodles we prefer the wider kind
For garnish
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup spring onions
- 1/4 cup peanuts
Time needed: 30 minutes
Here’s how to make this easy one pan Kung Pao Chicken!
- Prepare and marinate the chicken
Remove all the extra fat and bits from the chicken thighs. Cut them into bite sized pieces.
In a bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients and add the chicken thighs. Set aside to marinate while you prep all the other ingredients (alternatively, you can marinate the chicken overnight). - Prepare your veggies and sauce ingredients
Wash and chop your spring onions, bell peppers, and celery. Press the garlic and grate the ginger.
In a measuring cup, mix cornstarch and cold water, then add stock, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. Roughly chop your peanuts or cashews. - Start cooking the noodles
While you make the sauce with chicken and veggies, cook the rice noodles by the package instructions and drain.
- Cook the chicken
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, adding the vegetable oil and sesame oil.
Once the oil has heated, add the chopped chicken, letting it brown over the heat. Once the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius), remove them to a plate. - Cook your veggies
If needed, add 2 teaspoons of extra sesame oil.
Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and sauté until fragrant.
Add the veggies and sauté them until they start to soften a little bit. - Add the sauce and the rest of the ingredients
Mix the sauce ingredients again to make sure the cornstarch is not settled at the bottom.
Add the sauce to the skillet and cook until it becomes transparent and thicker (the cornstarch is completely cooked).
Add the chicken back in along with the peanuts and mix well. - Add the drained noodles and enjoy!
Add the cooked rice noodles and mix again.
Add chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions for garnish, if you wish. Serve and enjoy!
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes, you could use chicken breasts but keep in mind that breast is a leaner meat and will dry out faster. Make sure you don’t overcook it! To avoid dry chicken, we suggest using chicken thighs.
Can I make kung pao chicken ahead of time?
Yes! You can prep the marinade ingredients, chop the veggies, and mix the sauce up to a day in advance. The kung pao also reheats well for up to 3 days. For the best texture, cook the noodles fresh just before you’re ready to serve.
Is kung pao chicken spicy?
This recipe is mild and family friendly. For spicy kung pao sauce, you can add chili paste, dried red chilies, or any other chilies you prefer.
Can I use different noodles?
Yes! Serve it with your favourite noodles. We like it with egg noodles, vermicelli noodles, or even a small bowl of plain rice.
Can I use different protein?
Yes, you can substitute the chicken thighs in this recipe with shrimp, tofu, beef strips, or pork. Just make sure to adapt the cooking time so you don’t dry out the proteins.
We hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite easy one pan weeknight meal? We’d love to know!
More Easy Meal Ideas
- Pesto Pasta
- One Pot Taco Spaghetti
- Easy Pasta Carbonara
- One Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
- One Pan Chicken Alfredo Pasta
- Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
- Fried Rice
- Pork Chop Sheet Pan Dinner
- Chicken with Turmeric Rice
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One Pan Kung Pao Chicken with Noodles
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 1 pound chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
For cooking:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 spring onions
- 1 inch knob ginger
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 red bell peppers
- 3 sticks of celery
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup peanuts or raw cashews
- 7 ounces rice noodles we prefer the wider kind
For garnish
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup spring onions
- 1/4 cup peanuts
Recipe: Instructions
- Remove all the extra fat and bits from the chicken thighs. Cut them in 1 inch cubes.
- In a bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients and add the chicken thighs. Set aside to marinade while you prep all the other ingredients (alternatively, you can marinade the chicken overnight).
- Wash and chop your spring onions, bell peppers, and celery. Press the garlic and grate the ginger.
- In a measuring cup, mix cornstarch and cold water, then add stock, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey.
- Roughly chop your peanuts or cashews.
- While you make the sauce with chicken and veggies, cook the rice noodles by the package directions and drain.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, adding the vegetable oil and sesame oil.
- Once the oil has heated add the chopped chicken, letting it brown over the heat. Once the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165℉ (74℃), remove them to a plate.
- If needed, add 2 teaspoons of extra sesame oil.
- Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the veggies and sauté them until they start to soften a little bit.
- Mix the sauce ingredients again to make sure the cornstarch is not settled at the bottom.
- Add the sauce to the skillet and cook until it becomes transparent and thicker (the cornstarch is completely cooked).
- Add the chicken back in along with the peanuts and mix well.
- Add the cooked rice noodles and mix again.
- Add chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions for garnish, if you wish. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe: Notes
Storage information
This Kung Pao Chicken keeps well in the fridge for about 3 days. If you want to freeze it, we suggest you freeze it before adding the noodles and you cook them right before you want to serve this dish.Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
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I’m curious to try this with vermicelli noodles, as I need to stick to a gluten free diet. What are your thoughts? I’ve often cooked vermicelli in broth and been happy with the results. do you think it would get over-cooked in this? or absorb too much sauce maybe?
Yes, I think they’d definitely get overcooked. You should try Barilla’s gluten-free pasta line. I bet that would work really well in this recipe!