Whole30 Kung Pao Chicken & Zoodles

Get ready for a flavor party! This healthy Whole30 Kung Pao Chicken recipe is made with fresh, whole ingredients and lots of veggies, including zucchini noodles. You have the option to make it traditionally spicy OR family friendly.

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Kung Pao Chicken is one of my all-time favorite meals ever!

In typical teenager fashion, my friends and I would go to this amazing hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant and order big tubs of all the classic takeout dishes growing up… all the time.

Of course I always had lots of fried rice and a big fountain soda with it. And it was DELICIOUS.

But these days, even though I’m not really into eating a ton of grains, sugar, or soy, I still really love classic takeout recipes, like Orange Chicken, Beef & Broccoli, and Kung Pao Chicken!

So here’s my totally non-traditional version of Kung Pao Chicken, made Whole30 compatible and Low Carb friendly since eating within those restrictions are what work for me and my body right now.

Note: If you’re looking for a traditional and authentic recipe, please see this Kung Pao Chicken recipe.

I sometimes make my Kung Pao Chicken traditionally spicy, and other times I make it more family friendly. I’ve given you options to do both, so the choice is yours!

But whichever spice level I’m at, to keep the classic flavors in line, I always used Sichuan peppercorns. Sichuan peppercorns are really important to giving Kung Pao Chicken its Kung Pao-ness. You know what I mean, right?

You may also like: BBQ Chicken & Ranch Sliders, Butter Chicken Meal Prep, Chicken and Bacon Caesar Salad, Orange Chicken Meatballs & Broccoli.

Recipe Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts. You can substitute chicken thighs too!
• Sichuan peppercorns: Unlike other peppercorns, they’re not hot or spicy at all (read: kid-friendly)… they’re actually more lemony and aromatic and are known to numb your mouth a bit (it’s one of the spices in Chinese Five Spice blends, too). I’ve found that Sichuan peppercorns are pretty easy to come by in most large grocery stores, but they’re available on Amazon, too.
• Produce: Red bell pepper for low heat OR chili peppers for a hot & spicy, more traditional flavor. You’ll also need green onions, zucchini, garlic, ginger, and dates.
• Pantry: Olive oil or avocado, cashews, sesame seeds, salt and pepper, coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, arrowroot powder, tomato paste, and hot sauce (optional).

Easy Whole30 compatible swaps:

If you’re new to Whole30 cooking, here are a few rule-of-thumb easy swaps to make when cooking Asian cuisine.

• Instead of soy sauce, use coconut aminos.
• Instead of white rice, use cauliflower rice.
• Instead of peanuts, use cashews or almonds.
• Instead of thickening agents like flour or cornstarch, use arrowroot powder!

Making the Recipe

First things first, you need to marinate the chicken. Make the marinade, then cut up pieces of chicken into bite sized pieces. Marinate for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by adding all the ingredients to a blender. Pulse until broken down, then blend until smooth.

Note: Some Kung Pao Chicken recipes will call for the peppercorns to be added whole to the stir fry, but I like toast and then blend them to add into the sauce. The main reason I do that? So my kids don’t pick them out individually when we’re eating!

To Toast Sichuan Peppercorns:

1. Add them to a hot skillet.
2. Stir frequently and allow them to toast for about 1 minute, sometimes even a little less.
3. Once you can smell them (it happens quickly), remove them, set them aside and let them cool completely. If you see any black seeds mixed in with the peppercorns, just remove them and set them aside. 
4. Grind the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. 

Lastly, cook the chicken and vegetables in a large skillet, stirring in the sauce to coat it fully. Stir in the cashews and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

I like to serve my Kung Pao Chicken over raw zucchini noodles. It has a nice texture to it that really holds up against the crunchy cashews and tender chicken. If raw isn’t your thing, then just sauté them first!

If you like this recipe, please drop a star rating below! And be sure to tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom!