15 Minute Kung Pao Chicken with Vegetables

Better than Chinese takeout, Kung Pao Chicken with vegetables is easy to make and ready in just 15 minutes. Plus it’s made with ingredients you have in the pantry! Serve with Instant Pot white rice! 

Despite the fact that I’ve been making meal plans for YEARS now, there are STILL times when I forget to pull something out to thaw. Then I’m stuck at the last minute wondering what to make for dinner.

My back-up meal tends to be tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches because I almost always have what I need to make it in the pantry, and it’s ready in less than 20 minutes.

These are the same reasons I love kung pao chicken with vegetables, except it’s ready even FASTER!

I don’t know how authentic to Chinese food this kung pao chicken is, but it’s spicy, has peanuts and it’s REALLY good. Which works for me!

Plus this dish comes together literally while the rice is cooking. How so? Frozen vegetables.

I normally find the process of  chopping vegetables to be soothing, but lately it’s taking time I don’t have. If I can find a way to work around it that doesn’t sacrifice nutrition or quality, I’m all in!

Kung Pao Chicken with Vegetables – Ready in 15 Minutes

Besides the fact that this recipe is super quick, it’s also:

• Delicious. The whole family loves it!
• Easy. Using frozen vegetables saves you the time and effort of chopping vegetables.
• Healthy. Using real food ingredients, you know it’s healthier than what you’d order in Chinese restaurants.

What are the ingredients in Kung Pao Chicken?

The ingredients may seem like a lot, but trust me, this recipe comes together very quickly.

• chicken breast
• garlic cloves (or 2 tsp granulated garlic)
• fresh ginger (or 1 tsp granulated ginger)
• green onions
• coconut oil
• frozen mixed vegetables (I used Birds Eye)
• peanuts, chopped

Kung Pao Sauce Ingredients

• water
• soy sauce or liquid aminos
• cornstarch
• honey
• sesame oil
• granulated ginger
• black pepper
• crushed red pepper
• apple cider vinegar (how to make apple cider vinegar) (or rice wine vinegar)
• hoisin sauce or oyster sauce (optional, but VERY good!)
• prepared white rice, for serving (I like to make Instant Pot white rice)

How to Make Kung Pao Chicken (step-by-step)

Allow me to share just how fast this dish comes together. Pull out your biggest cutting board and your favorite chef knife and let’s get started!

1. Start the rice

I like to use jasmine rice and it takes about 15 minutes to cook total. Add a pad of butter (optional) and get it going. I like to make my rice in the instant pot.

Going grain-free? Make cauliflower rice instead! It will add time to the meal prep, but it’s equally delicious.

2. Heat up the oil

Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok (if you have one) or a large skillet over medium high heat.

3. Make the Kung Pao sauce

Dump all the ingredients into a large measuring cup (I use this one) and whisk to combine. Set aside.

I almost always have either hoisin sauce or oyster sauce in the pantry – both are really good in this dish. If you don’t have either one, you can omit it from the recipe.

Note: We are a soy-free house because 93% of all soy beans are genetically modified organisms (GMO), so I use liquid aminos instead of soy sauce.

Psst! Want to give you Kung Pao chicken more POW? Try finishing this recipe with a pinch of finishing salt! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a bag for just 1¢!! (Get your penny bag of salt on this page.) 

4. Chop the garlic and the ginger. Slice the green onions.

I ADORE the taste of fresh garlic and fresh ginger, and it’s worth the ONE minute it takes to rough chop both of them together. You can use granulated garlic and granulated ginger if you don’t have fresh though, and you’ll shave one minute off the prep time. (Save more time AND have fresh ginger by chopping it ahead of time and saving in the freezer!)

I also slice the white and light green portions of the green onions. Set all this aside to one end of the cutting board and set aside the dark green portions of the green onions for later.

Since we’re using frozen vegetables, you’re done with prepping veggies and you’re free to use your knife on the chicken.

5. Dice the chicken

We’re using chicken breast in this recipe and we’re going to dice it into just smaller than ½” thin slices. Use whatever method is fastest for you, but I like to make long strips, turn the chicken and then cut into pieces.

It’s okay if the chicken touches the garlic, ginger and green onions because it’ll all get cooked at the same time anyway.

Note: If you cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker, you might be able to get away with using shredded chicken instead of chicken breast. You won’t get the sear on the chicken, but it’s definitely do-able and a bit cheaper. If you go this route, rough chop the chicken and add it in with the vegetables.

6. Start cooking quick & easy kung pao chicken

• Add the chicken and the chopped garlic, ginger and onions to the skillet and stir every 10-15 seconds or it might smoke. It’s okay if it does.
• When most of the chicken has a golden sear on it, add the frozen vegetables and peanuts and stir well.
• Let the chicken and vegetables cook for about 4 minutes, stirring about once a minute.
• Whisk the sauce together one last time, and add it all at once. Let the sauce come to a boil and cook for about one minute.
• Then, turn the heat down to low and the sauce will thicken up as it cools.

7. Serve your kung pao chicken with white rice and enjoy!

Why Use Frozen Vegetables in this Kung Pao Chicken Recipe?

I typically advocate using fresh produce whenever possible, but I have three good reasons for using frozen vegetables:

1. When it’s winter. While I could eat sweet potatoes every day for the rest of my life, my family doesn’t share my enthusiasm. And since Spring is still a couple months away, we’re stuck in the land of winter vegetables and we’re ready for some variety.
2. They’re healthy. According to this article, freezing vegetables does not destroy its nutrients. Depending on where you buy your fresh produce, frozen vegetables might even contain more nutrients! (Be sure to read the list of ingredients though, just to be safe. I used Birds Eye mixed vegetables and the only other ingredient was salt, which is fine with me!)
3. They’re easy. Pulling a bag of frozen vegetables out of the freezer requires zero cooking skills, zero prep work and just a few minutes to cook.

Tip: I like adding a package of frozen vegetables to my homemade mac and cheese. Alongside homemade Italian meatballs and I have school lunches made for a week!

Want More Quick & Easy Recipes?

• Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables
• Easy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
• Instant Pot Spanish Rice
• Honey Garlic Chicken
• Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli

Do you ever use frozen vegetables to help you get dinner on the table faster? What’s your favorite way of using them? Share your ideas in the comments below!

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