Air Fryer Kung Pao Chicken

Air Fryer Kung Pao Chicken is a delicious dinner that can be made in under 30 minutes! It is sweet, spicy, and full of great flavor. This air fryer recipe is loaded with chicken, peanuts, and vegetables. This is a super simple recipe that the whole family will love.

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

• This Kung Pao Chicken is loaded with flavor!
• It is a quick meal that the whole family will love.
• So delicious, your kids will ask for seconds!

Ingredients

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• 1 pound skinless and boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce 
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt

Kung Pao Sauce

• 3 Tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Shaoxing Wine, Chinese cooking wine
• ½ cup water

Stir Fry

• 2 Tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 4-5 dry red chilies, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 green onions, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons water
• ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts

Equipment

• Cosori 5.8 Quart Air Fryer
• Saute Pan, 5 quart
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
• Glass Measuring Cups
• Cutting Board
• Knives
• Whisk

Instructions

This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.

Chicken Marinade

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the chicken marinade ingredients, dark soy sauce, egg white, rice vinegar, cornstarch, and salt. Place the chicken in the marinade for at least 5 minutes.

Kung Pao Sauce

1. While the chicken is marinating, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients dark soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ground black pepper, Shaoxing Wine, and water. Set aside.

Air Fry Chicken

1. Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C)
2. Brush the basket with a little oil and put the marinated chicken in it (8-10 per batch). Brush a little oil on top of the chicken.
3. Air fry for 3 minutes on one side then turn and cook for another 3 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Repeat until all chicken pieces are cooked.

Stir Fry

1. While the chicken is cooking, heat oil in a saute pan. Add chopped ginger and garlic. Fry until garlic becomes fragrant about 1 minute.
2. Add dried red chilies and cubed red and green bell peppers. Stir fry it for a few seconds.
3. Give the prepared sauce a mix, then pour it into the pan and bring it to a boil.
4. While the sauce is cooking, in a small bowl mix cornstarch and water and add it to the sauce.
5. Add green onions, ground black pepper, and air-fried chicken in the pan and mix all the ingredients in the sauce until the chicken is evenly coated and the sauce thickens.
6. Stir in peanuts, toss well, and cook for 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice and enjoy.
7. Serve hot with rice and enjoy.

Storage

Store leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezer Instructions - The recipe can be made ahead and frozen in freezer-safe bags for meal planning.

Expert Tips

Dark soy sauce gives this Kung Pao Chicken the best flavor. If not available, a light soy sauce can be used for the recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Variations

• Add in some Asian mushrooms like shiitake or white button.
• Change up the protein and use either shrimp or pork.
• If dark soy sauce is not available, use light soy sauce.
• Kung pao chicken is traditionally a spicy dish but if you are not a fan of spice you can leave out the chili peppers for less heat.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Kung Pao Chicken with potstickers, oven baked fried rice, fried rice, chow mein, or even your favorite egg roll recipe.

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If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

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Air Fryer Kung Pao Chicken

Air Fryer Kung Pao Chicken is a fabulous take-out fake-out that is not only delicious but so much better, quicker, and affordable than ordering out for dinner.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: air fryer kung pao chicken, kung pao chicken, kung pao chicken and stir fry

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Eileen Murphy Kelly

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

Equipment Needed:

• Air Fryer
• Saute Pan, 5 quart
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Cutting Board
• Knives
• Whisk

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

• 1 pound skinless and boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce Note 1
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt

Kung Pao Sauce

• 3 Tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Shaoxing Wine Chinese Cooking wine, Note 2
• ½ cup water

Stir Fry

• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 4-5 dry red chilies cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 green onions, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons water
• ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts

Instructions

Chicken Marinade

• In a large bowl, whisk together the chicken marinade ingredients, dark soy sauce, egg white, rice vinegar, cornstarch, and salt. Place the chicken in the marinade for at least 5 minutes.

Kung Pao Sauce

• While the chicken is marinating, in a medium-size bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients dark soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ground black pepper, Shaoxing Wine, and water. Set aside.

Air Fry Chicken

• Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C)
• Brush the basket with a little oil and put the marinated chicken in it (8-10 per batch). Brush a little oil on top of the chicken.
• Air fry for 3 minutes on one side then turn and cook for another 3 minutes or until golden brown.
• Repeat until all chicken pieces are cooked.

Stir Fry

• While the chicken is cooking, heat oil in a saute pan, add chopped ginger and garlic, fry until garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add dried red chilies and cubed red and green bell peppers. Stir fry it for a few seconds.
• Give the prepared sauce a mix, then pour it into the pan and bring it to a boil.
• While the sauce is cooking, in a small bowl mix together cornstarch and water and add it to the sauce.
• Add green onions, ground black pepper, and air-fried chicken in the pan and mix all the ingredients in the sauce until the chicken is evenly coated and the sauce thickens.
• Stir in peanuts, toss well, and cook for 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice and enjoy.
• Serve hot with rice and enjoy.

NOTES

Be sure to check Expert Tips and FAQs above with important tips and questions that can help make a delicious recipe. 

Note 1: The difference between soy sauce and dark soy sauce is that dark soy adds a little more flavor to a recipe and it is less salty.

Note 2: Shaoxing Wine can be found at your local grocery store in the International aisle or order via Amazon. Mirin can also be used as a substitute. 

STORAGE: You can store leftovers in an air-tight container for 3 days in the refrigerator or around 2 months in the freezer.

• Egg white and dark soy sauce not only make chicken extremely flavorful but also provides a protective coating that holds the moisture inside the chicken. This makes it tender from the inside and crispy from the outside.
• You can add or omit vegetables in stir fry according to your liking.
• Ensure that the sauce thickens and coats each and every piece of chicken properly before serving.

I'm not a registered dietician, I do my best to provide the most accurate nutritional values. Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation. Actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.

 

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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 2157mg | Potassium: 760mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1141IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

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