Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken
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Saucy Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken with a spicy kick! Simple ingredients bring a ton of flavor to this easy-to-make family favorite.
I’ve officially had Kung Pao Chicken twice in the past 36 hours. I made this slow cooker version a couple of nights ago for dinner and instantly fell in love. If you’re a sauce person – like me – you’ll want to double this sauce because it is finger-lickin’ good.
But that was only the first time I had Kung Pao Chicken this week. Last night my husband came home from a business trip and we went out to dinner with my parents. They picked a Chinese restaurant I haven’t been to in years and I ordered the same thing I always ordered back in the days – Kung Pao Chicken. And here is the real kicker – I was disappointed because this slow cooker version was so much better. Like…. soooo much better.
Plus I’m pretty sure that this recipe is healthier than any restaurant Kung Pao Chicken. And easy! Just brown the chicken, throw it into the slow cooker with the sauce, let it work its magic for a few hours, and then add the last couple of ingredients. Perfect Kung Pao Chicken made with simple everyday ingredients and loaded with tons of flavor. I’m in love!
Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons chili paste
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ⅓ cup peanuts , (see note)
- optional: cooked rice, green onions
- 2 teaspoons sriracha , or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Drizzle a large sauce pan with oil and saute chicken over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until browned
- Add chicken to a greased slow cooker. In a bowl whisk together sauce ingredients: garlic, soy sauce, chile paste, vinegar, brown sugar, sriracha and 1/3 cup water. Pour sauce into the slow cooker. Cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 5-6 hours.
- About 10-15 minutes before serving, drizzle a pan with oil and saute peppers, zucchini, and garlic for 2-3 minutes until veggies are tender. Add to slow cooker.
- Whisk together corn starch and cold water til dissolved. Add to slow cooker and stir. Allow to thicken for 5-10 minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with peanuts and green onions as desired.
Notes
*double sauce ingredients if you like extra sauce – we do!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Shouldn’t it be 3-4 hours on high, or 5-6 hours on low? I’m confused.
Made this dish last night following the recipe exactly as written except for the slow cooker times which I assume were inverted. Turned out great. I used a breast and a half but used the same amount of sauce indicated in recipe. Turned out enough for one good size serving for 4 people. Was afraid my slow cooker would be too small for the full recipe and double the sauce.
I feel that it could use a little more sriracha, maybe an extra half tablespoon, to make it a little spicier.
My wife liked it very much also and she suggested adding some green pepper or substituting some green for red. She maintains that green has more flavor than the red.
I keep wondering why you didn’t include some onion is the veggies. Seems to me it might add to the dish. Or is it that Kung Pao just doesn’t have onion in it. Would you comment on this, please.
Took some neat photos. However, not as good as yours!
Just a comment on my previous comment. Hopefully beautiful Tiffany will find the time to comment on my previous positive comment on her Kung Pao recipe to which I dedicated at least seven and a half minutes of my life. Otherwise I promise never to comment again or will do so only in spanish.
Sorry about that! Sometimes a comment or two will slip through the cracks but I try to catch them all!
Wow! What kind of comment is that? Don’t mean to be rude but I took the time to write what I thought was a positive comment on your Kung Pao recipe which turned out great. However, I had some questions regarding the recipe that I thought you would deign to answer. That, it seems to me, would be the purpose of “Comments and Feddback”. Or does the feedback only go one way?
I have other recipes of yours I have tried and can comment on. However, not receiving a response in this particular case will probably result in my not making any further comment, positive or negative, on any future recipes I might risk trying. Too bad, I think!
Hi Rodgrigo, I answered your questions and replied thoughtfully to your comment – I’ve copied my response to that comment and pasted it below:
“Thanks Rodrigo! I’m sure your photos came out great – and the extra sriracha sounds like an addition I would totally love!! As for the onion, it would definitely taste delicious in this recipe – I left it out of this version but I have made kung pao with onions before and loved it.”
Thanks Rodrigo! I’m sure your photos came out great – and the extra sriracha sounds like an addition I would totally love!! As for the onion, it would definitely taste delicious in this recipe – I left it out of this version but I have made kung pao with onions before and loved it.
Your dishes sound delicious and yummy. Your photos are outstanding and….you are quite beautiful!
Do you have a good Cashew Chicken
Recipe? Would be great if Slow Cooker!
Connie
Coming soon! 🙂
What type of vinegar would you recommend?
White distilled vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar all work well. 🙂
How many people will your recipe feed?
This recipe will feed 3-4 🙂
How would you suggest freezing this? I am trying to prepare make-ahead meals…I am thinking I would cook the chicken then throw everything in a zip lock and freeze?
Hi Carissa – the ziplock method tends to be pretty good for these types of recipes!
So, would you freeze the veggies too, or would it be better to saute them right before serving? We all know how soggy peppers and zucchini get. Being a shift worker, it is nice to make and freeze leftovers.
Thanks! Tries the General Tao/Tsao on the stove top last night as I didn’t have time to slow cook it. It was AMAZING!! Thank You so much!
I’d go with saute and serve rather than freezing because of the water content!
Thank so much! Will try it that way.
Tried the Kung Pao Shrimp tonight, it was Delish! I don’t imagine the shrimp would freeze very well either…
Sounds delicious, and I am going to try it! But don’t you mean “Cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 5-6 hours,” not the other way around?
Correct! That’s a typo sorry! 🙂
Hi!
How much garlic should we use when we saute the peppers, zucchini and garlic?
I am excited to try this recipe!
Thanks,
Joann
Hi Joann, sorry for the confusion – I’ve updated the recipe to be more clear! 🙂
Should that be low for 5-6 hours and high for 3-4hours instead?
Yep – just need to update that typo, sorry! 🙂
That’s what I was thinking too.