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Panda Express Kungpao Chicken copycat recipe with rice
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5 from 10 votes

Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken

If you love Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken, then you'll really love this copycat recipe of mine. It's more delicious (in my opinion), and, of course, it's cheaper to make at home.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Asian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 382kcal
Author: Sally

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil (or other oil)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 pound chicken breast, , cut into ½- to 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups zucchini, sliced thick (1 large)
  • 1 red bell pepper, de-stemed, de-seeded, and cut into large chunks
  • ½ cup green onions or scallions (1 bunch
  • ½ cup peanuts (I used dry roasted - can use any you have on hand)

Marinade

  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (less for mild - more for extra hot)
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

  • Heat a heavy skillet to medium heat (5-6) on the stove top.
  • For the marinade, take the fresh chopped ginger and garlic and add to a medium-sized bowl along with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes (will add the honey in later). With a spoon blend it all together.
  • To the marinade, I add the chicken and submerge in the marinade liquid as much as possible. Let this mixture sit while heating up the skillet for about 10 minutes.
  • When the pan has heated for about 10 minutes, add the olive oil (or other oil) along with the sesame oil to the skillet and move the skillet around to coat the entire bottom of the pan.
  • Drain most of the liquid from the marinade into a small bowl. I do this with my hand to ensure that the chicken doesn't escape. Then I add the chicken carefully to the hot skillet, leaving most of any extra liquid behind in the bowl.
  • Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes, turning halfway through the cook time. This should cook the chicken at least most of the way.
  • Meanwhile, add the honey to the residual marinade and blend with a whisk until incorporated.
  • Turn down the heat a bit (about 3) and add the zucchini, bell pepper, green onions, marinade, and peanuts. Stir, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Serve right away over rice if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 959mg | Potassium: 860mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1288IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg