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A bowl of spicy, saucy noodles with pieces of meat and green onions, being lifted by chopsticks.
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5 from 1 vote

Kung Pao Chicken Noodles

🥢🥡 Better-than-takeout 30-minute recipe features juicy pieces of chicken tossed with tender noodles! Everything is tossed in a sauce made with soy, ginger, chili garlic and more. It coats everything to savory, unami perfection! It's flexible stir fry-inspired recipe so you can easily add more veggies, swap the protein, or customize the spice level.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: 30-Minute Meals, Asian, Dinner
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: chinese kung pao chicken, kung pao chicken, kung pao chicken noodles
Servings: 4
Calories: 664cal

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs diced into bite-sized pieces (boneless skinless chicken breasts may be substituted)
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Noodles

  • 12 ounces noodles cooked according to package directions, drained and set aside (I used knife-cut Chinese noodles linked here; or sub with spaghetti, linguine, angel hair, udon noodles, ramen, lo mein noodles, brown rice noodles, etc.)

Sauce

  • ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed; or to taste
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons chili garlic sauce or as desired (use 1/2 to 1 tablespoon if you’re sensitive to spicy food and work up if desired)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon ground ginger or to taste (if using fresh, use 1 rounded teaspoon, or as desired)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water (called a slurry)

Garnishing

  • Red chile peppers optional and to taste (omit if sensitive to hea)
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons chopped salted peanuts optional
  • 1 to 2 green onions sliced into thin rounds or on the bias into segments; optional
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional and to taste

Instructions

  • Chicken - To a very large skillet, add the oils, chicken, season with salt and pepper, and saute over medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until chicken is done and cooked through. Stir and flip frequently to ensure even cooking. When done, turn the heat off and set skillet aside. While the chicken is cooking, begin boiling the noodles.
    Sliced pieces of cooked chicken breast in a non-stick frying pan on a light surface.
  • Noodles - Cook noodles according to package directions in a pot of boiling water. Drain and set aside when done. Make sure not to overcook them. Keep an eye on the noodles and begin the sauce. (In step 4 below you'll combine them as the photo here shows.)
    A skillet with uncooked wide pasta on one side and cooked shrimp with vegetables and sauce on the other side.
  • Sauce - To a medium high-sided stock pot, add the soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce (start slowly if you’re sensitive to heat; you can always add more later but you can’t take it away), sesame oil, ground ginger, cornstarch slurry, and whisk to combine.
    Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and allow mixture to boil for about 1 to 2 minutes, whisking nearly continuously. Mixture will thicken up slightly as it cools.
    Tip - I've seen recipes that add peanut butter to this sauce. If you're a fan, you can add a couple of heaping tablespoons of PB. However, I reserve peanut butter for peanut noodles* (see recipe link below in Notes).
    A glass measuring cup filled with a dark, mixed liquid sauce and a metal whisk inside on a light gray surface.
  • Combine - To the very large skillet with the chicken, add the drained noodles, evenly pour the sauce over, and toss very well to combine and coat. Taste and check for seasoning and flavor balance and make any necessary adjustments. Flavoring Tips - I tend to add a bit more soy sauce because it both adds saltiness plus a bit of moisture; if you want it more garlicky/spicy add more chili garlic sauce and/or just red pepper flakes for heat without garlic. I love a bit of sweet with my savory so I'l add a bit more brown sugar or hoisin sauce. If it lacks oomph, it could need more acid so additional vinegar can help. Taste and tweak until you get it to where you love it.
    A skillet filled with wide noodles in sauce, topped with chopped peanuts and sliced green onions.
  • Garnishing - Add any or none of the aforementioned garnishes, to taste, and serve.
    A bowl of wide, ruffled noodles coated in a creamy, spicy sauce, with pieces of meat and toppings, being lifted by chopsticks.

Notes

*Peanut Noodles are favorites of mine. Spicy Peanut Noodles, or Peanut Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables.
Storage: Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in the microwave. If the noodles are a bit dry after sitting in the fridge, you can either add a splash of water and/or additional soy sauce, noting it will add saltiness. 
Adapted from my own Kung Pao Chicken recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 664cal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1753mg | Potassium: 618mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg
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