Does Kung Pao Chicken have peanuts?

Yes, whole roasted peanuts are a core ingredient and the dish carries a peanut allergen flag, the only entree on the menu that does. Wheat, soy and sesame flag alongside it.

How many calories are in Kung Pao Chicken?

320 calories per serving with 17 g of protein and 21 g of fat, much of it from the peanuts.

Is Kung Pao Chicken spicy?

Mildly. Dried chilies give it a slow warmth rather than sharp heat, and the zucchini cools it between bites. Hot Orange Chicken at 550 calories is the spicier option.

How much does Kung Pao Chicken cost?

No national a la carte price is published; stores set their own. Formats run from $8.50 for a Bowl to $12.50 for a Bigger Plate.

Is it good as leftovers?

Better than most of the menu, because nothing in it is battered. Reheat in a pan rather than a microwave to keep the peanuts and vegetables from going soft.

Updated 10 August 2026

Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken

320 calChicken

Kung Pao Chicken is a chicken item with 320 calories per serving, 17 g protein, 1050 mg sodium. Panda Express does not publish a standalone price for it; it is ordered inside a Bowl, Plate or Bigger Plate.

Contains: Wheat, Soy, Peanuts, Sesame

Panda Express locations More Chicken

About This Dish

Kung Pao Chicken is the peanut and chili entree on the Panda Express line: diced chicken wok tossed with zucchini, red bell pepper and peanuts in a savory chili sauce, 320 calories a serving, ordered in formats from $8.50. It is the closest thing on the menu to a traditional Sichuan dish, and the one that rewards people bored of sweet glazes.

The texture spread is what makes it work. Peanuts stay crunchy against tender chicken, zucchini holds water and cools the heat, and the bell pepper adds sweetness without any sugar in the sauce doing that job. The sauce itself is thin and savory rather than sticky, seasoned with dried chilies that leave a slow warmth. On the tray it looks the least glossy of the chicken options, which fairly signals what it is: seasoned rather than sauced.

Kung Pao Chicken calories sit at 320 with 17 g of protein and 15 g of carbs, mid table among the chicken entrees. The peanuts do most of the fat work at 21 g, and they also put a peanut allergen flag on the dish, the only entree on the menu carrying one. Wheat, soy and sesame flag alongside it, and sodium reaches 1,050 mg.

How much is Kung Pao Chicken? Stores price entrees locally, so the formats carry the real numbers: $8.50 for a Bowl, $10.50 for a Plate, $12.50 for three entrees.

It suits anyone ordering for flavor rather than comfort, and it holds up better than most entrees as leftovers because nothing on the plate is battered. Pair it with White Steamed Rice at 520 calories so the sauce has somewhere to go, or with Super Greens for a low calorie build that keeps the crunch. String Bean Chicken Breast at 210 calories is the lighter savory alternative for anyone avoiding peanuts.