Description

Kung Pao Chicken Noodles are a quick, flavor-packed noodle dish featuring tender marinated chicken, a spicy-sweet soy-peanut sauce, and a crunchy peanut garnish. This easy 30-minute recipe combines the savory depth of kung pao flavors with your favorite noodles, for a crowd-pleasing meal that’s both satisfying and customizable. Perfect for busy weeknights or when you crave takeout at home, it can be adapted to be as spicy or mild as you like and pairs well with vegetables like broccoli or bell peppers.

Ingredients

Base/Chicken

12 ounces noodles of choice
1 pound chicken breast
2 tablespoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce (use regular if not gluten free)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chili paste
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
½ cup diced green onion (mostly the white part)
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Sauce

½ cup low sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chili paste (such as sambal oelek)
1–2 tablespoons brown sugar (to taste)
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for extra spice)
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For Garnish

⅓ cup crushed peanuts
⅓ cup diced green onion (mostly the green part)

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Instructions

Prep the Chicken: Cut the chicken breast into small, roughly 1-inch pieces. In a bowl, combine the chicken, soy sauce or tamari, honey, and chili paste. Mix well to coat evenly, cover, and set aside to marinate—ideally for 1-2 hours, but even 30 minutes will work if short on time.
Cook the Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside while you finish the rest of the dish.
Make the Sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients except for the water and cornstarch (soy sauce or tamari, peanut butter, rice vinegar, chili paste, brown sugar, ground ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes). Set aside.
Saute the Aromatics: Heat the tablespoon of sesame oil (from the base/chicken ingredients) in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced white part of the green onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Cook the Chicken: Add the marinated chicken pieces to the skillet (discarding any leftover marinade). Fry the chicken on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Thicken the Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into a separate small saucepan or use the skillet after removing the chicken. Bring to a low simmer over low heat. Whisk the cornstarch together with water to create a slurry, then stir this into the sauce. Simmer and whisk until the sauce thickens slightly.
Combine Noodles and Chicken: Add the drained noodles to the thickened sauce and toss to evenly coat. Mix in the cooked chicken and allow everything to cook together for 1-2 minutes to blend flavors.
Garnish and Serve: Transfer to serving bowls, then top with crushed peanuts and diced green onion (green tops). Serve as is, or with your favorite steamed, roasted, or stir-fried vegetables like broccoli or bell peppers for extra color and nutrition.

Notes

Rice noodles, brown rice udon, or even regular spaghetti all work well with this recipe—use what you have on hand.
If you only have regular soy sauce (not low sodium), cut the amount in half to avoid an overly salty dish.
Adjust chili paste and red pepper flakes to control the spice level to your liking.
This dish can be adapted to include more vegetables—broccoli, bell peppers, or snap peas are delicious additions.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main-course
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 501 kcal
Sugar: 12 g
Sodium: varies by soy sauce brand, estimate 900 mg
Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 69 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 41 g
Cholesterol: 73 mg