Kung Pao Chicken Recipe (Authentic Sichuan Gong Bao Ji Ding)
Authentic kung pao chicken recipe: juicy diced chicken stir-fried with dried chillies, Sichuan pepper, peanuts and a glossy sweet-sour sauce in 35 minutes.
This kung pao chicken recipe is the real Sichuan classic: small cubes of tender chicken, toasted dried red chillies, tingling Sichuan peppercorns and crunchy peanuts, all coated in a glossy sauce that is a little sweet, a little sour and gently hot. It is ready in about 35 minutes and tastes far brighter than most takeaway versions.
In Chinese the dish is called gōngbǎo jīdīng, which means "Palace Guardian chicken cubes". It is named after Ding Baozhen, a governor of Sichuan province in the 1800s who held the honorary title gongbao, or palace guardian. The story says his family cook made this dish for him and it became so popular that it carried his title. "Kung pao" is simply the older English spelling of gongbao.
The Sichuan flavour profile here is called hu la, meaning "scorched chilli". Whole dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns are fried briefly in hot oil until they darken and smell toasty, which perfumes the oil without making the dish fiery. The sauce follows the lychee-style balance of Chinese black vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and a little starch, so it clings to every piece. Velveting the chicken with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and cornstarch keeps it soft and juicy through the high-heat stir-fry.
Boneless chicken thigh is the most forgiving cut, but breast works if you do not overcook it. If you cannot find Chinkiang black vinegar, use rice vinegar with a splash of balsamic. Dry sherry replaces Shaoxing wine, and tamari makes the dish gluten-free if your vinegar is gluten-free too. Roasted cashews can stand in for peanuts, and you can reduce the chillies or remove their seeds for a milder kung pao chicken.
Serve it straight from the wok with steamed jasmine rice, alongside stir-fried greens such as bok choy or garlic green beans, or a smacked cucumber salad to cool the heat. Leftovers reheat well in a hot pan the next day, and the flavours are often even better once the sauce has soaked in.
Watch how it is made on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/xvea0Ecru0U
Watch how it is made
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5 cm cubesSubstitute: chicken breast
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (for the marinade)
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wineSubstitute: dry sherry
- 2 tsp cornstarch (for the marinade)
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (peanut or vegetable)
- 10 whole dried red chillies, cut in half, seeds shaken out
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 4 spring onions, white and light green parts cut into 1.5 cm pieces
- 70 g roasted unsalted peanutsSubstitute: roasted cashews
- 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegarSubstitute: rice vinegar plus a few drops of balsamic
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (for the sauce)
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch (for the sauce)
- 3 tbsp water or chicken stock
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Method
- Marinate the chicken. Mix the chicken cubes with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, the Shaoxing wine and 2 tsp cornstarch until every piece is coated, then leave it to rest.
- Mix the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the black vinegar, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, 1 tsp cornstarch, water and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves. Keep it next to the stove.
- Prepare everything else. Slice the garlic and ginger, cut the spring onions and halve the chillies. A stir-fry moves fast, so have every ingredient ready before you turn on the heat.
- Sear the chicken. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and let it sear, then stir-fry until just cooked and lightly golden. Move it to a plate.
- Toast the chillies and peppercorns. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil, then the dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir until the chillies darken to deep red and smell toasty, without letting them turn black.
- Add the aromatics. Add the garlic, ginger and spring onion whites and stir-fry until fragrant.
- Return the chicken. Turn the heat back to high, add the chicken and toss everything together for a few seconds.
- Glaze with the sauce. Stir the sauce again, pour it into the wok and toss quickly until it thickens and turns glossy around the chicken.
- Finish with peanuts. Turn off the heat, stir in the peanuts and the green spring onion pieces and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Cut the chicken, spring onions and peanuts to roughly the same small size so each bite has a bit of everything, which is the traditional style. Watch the dried chillies closely: they go from fragrant to bitter and burnt in seconds, so lower the heat before adding them. Add the peanuts at the very end so they stay crunchy. For more of the famous numbing tingle, toast extra Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan, grind them and sprinkle a pinch over the finished dish. The chillies are for flavour and are usually not eaten.
Frequently asked questions
What is kung pao chicken?
Kung pao chicken, or gong bao ji ding, is a classic stir-fry from Sichuan province in China made with diced chicken, dried red chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, peanuts and a sweet, sour and savory sauce.
Is kung pao chicken very spicy?
Authentic kung pao chicken is fragrant rather than fiery. The dried chillies flavour the oil, and Sichuan peppercorns add a tingly numbness. You can use fewer chillies or remove the seeds for a milder dish.
What is kung pao sauce made of?
The sauce is a mix of Chinese black vinegar, light and dark soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, water and a little sesame oil. It cooks in seconds into a glossy coating.
What is the difference between kung pao chicken and General Tso's chicken?
Kung pao chicken is a Sichuan stir-fry of small, un-battered chicken cubes with peanuts and dried chillies. General Tso's chicken is an American-Chinese dish of battered, deep-fried chicken pieces in a thicker sweet sauce.
Can I make kung pao chicken without peanuts?
Yes. Use roasted cashews for a similar crunch, or leave the nuts out and add diced celery or water chestnuts instead.
Should I use chicken breast or thigh for kung pao chicken?
Boneless chicken thigh stays juicier and is more forgiving at high heat. Chicken breast works too if you marinate it with cornstarch and take it off the heat as soon as it is cooked.
