A staple of westernized Chinese cuisine and one of the favorite dishes of foreigners in China, kung pao chicken is a spicy stir-fry dish made with diced chicken, vegetables, peanuts, and Sichuan peppercorns. It was invented in the Sichuan Province and has a unique, interesting origin story.

In the 19th century, a boy named Ding Baozhen fell into a river and almost drowned. A passing stranger saved him, and as the years went by, Ding grew up to become a government official. He went to visit the man who saved him and ate a dish made with diced chicken, peanuts, and spicy peppercorns while visiting his home.

Ding loved the dish so much that he asked the chef for a recipe, and then started serving it to his guests. The dish quickly spread in the Sichuan Province, and many years later, it is still popular both in China and in the rest of the world. Although it’s commonly eaten in North America, the dish is cooked differently and lacks the unique spice that makes the original so flavorful, because it was illegal to import it to the United States until 2005.
However, it remains one of the most popular dishes in most Chinese restaurants throughout the world.

Chinese Kung Pao Chicken | (宫保鸡 – Gōng Bǎo Jī)

Recipe by Seonkyoung LongestCourse: Appetizers, MainCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

8

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

23

minutes

A staple of westernized Chinese cuisine and one of the favorite dishes of foreigners in China, kung pao chicken is a spicy stir-fry dish made with diced chicken, vegetables, peanuts, and Sichuan peppercorns. It was invented in the Sichuan Province and has a unique, interesting origin story.

Ingredients

• For the Chicken

• 2 boneless/skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 1 tsp. dark soy sauce

• 1 Tbs. shaoxing wine or dry sherry

• 2 tsp. baking soda

• 2 tsp. cornstarch

• 1/2 tsp. white pepper

• For the Sauce

• 1/2 tsp. dark soy sauce

• 3 Tbs. light soy sauce

• 2 Tbs. black vinegar

• 2 Tbs. sugar

• 1 tsp. cornstarch

• 1 Tbs. shaoxing wine or dry sherry

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• For Stir Fry

• 2 Tbs. cooking oil, divided

• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped (approximately 2 Tbs.)

• 1 oz. ginger root, chopped (approximately 2 Tbs.)

• 10 dried chili, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (approximately 3 Tbs.)

• 1 Tbs. Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and lightly grind

• 4 to 6 green onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (approximately 2/3 cup)

• 1/4 cup roasted/unsalted peanuts (substitute to cashew, almond or you can omit)

• 1 tsp. sesame oil (optional)

Directions

• Combine all ingredients for chicken in a mixing bowl, and marinate for 10 minutes.
• Combine all ingredients for sauce and whisk until sugar’s dissolved, set aside.
• Heat a wok over high heat, add 1 Tbs. cooking oil and marinated chicken. Cook chicken for 2 to 3 minutes or until 3/4 way cooked and browned edges. Remove chicken from heat and set aside.
• Add remaining 1 Tbs. cooking oil into now-empty-wok; stir in garlic, ginger, chili and Sichuan peppercorns and stir fry for 30 seconds to 1 minutes or until you can smell aroma. Pour sauce we made earlier and bring it to boil while keep stirring. (Make sure stir sauce before add into wok, because cornstarch and sugar will settle on bottom.)
• Add chicken back to wok and keep stirring until chicken is evenly coated with sauce and sauce has thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in green onions and peanuts. Toss and cook everything together for 1 to 2 minutes and remove from heat.
• Transfer to a serving place and drizzle some sesame oil if you like. Serve with warm bowl of cooked rice and other side dishes you’d like to have with. Enjoy!

Recipe Video