Kung Pao chicken (), also transcribed Gong Bao or Kung Po, is a spicy, stir-fried Chinese dish made with cubes of chicken, peanuts, vegetables (traditionally Welsh onion only ), and chili peppers. The classic dish in

Sichuan cuisine Sichuan cuisine, alternatively romanized as Szechwan cuisine or Szechuan cuisine (, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), is a style of Chinese cuisine originating from Sichuan Province. It has bold flavours, particularly the pungency and spicin ...

originated in the Sichuan province of south-western China and includes Sichuan peppercorns. Although the dish is found throughout China, there are regional variations that are typically less spicy than the Sichuan serving. Western Kung Pao chicken is also a staple of Westernized Chinese cuisine.

History

The dish is believed to be named after

Ding Baozhen Ding Baozhen () (1820–1886), courtesy name Weihuang (), was a Chinese official who lived in the late Qing dynasty and served as the governor of Sichuan Province. The Sichuan dish Kung Pao chicken (or Gongbao chicken) was named after his nickn ...

(1820–1886), a late Qing Dynasty official and governor of Sichuan Province. His title was ''Taizi Shaobao'', which is one of ''Gongbao'' (). The name ''Kung Pao chicken'' is derived from this title, while the use of the character ''dīng'' in the name of the dish is a pun on his surname ''Dīng'', a moderately common

Chinese surname Chinese surnames are used by Han Chinese and Sinicized ethnic groups in China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, and among overseas Chinese communities around the world such as Singapore and Malaysia. Written Chinese names begin with surnames, unlike the ...

that can also be read to mean "small cube" (like the cubes the chicken is diced into for the dish). During the Cultural Revolution, the dish's name became politically incorrect because of its association with the imperial system. The dish was renamed "spicy chicken" () by Maoists until its political rehabilitation in the 1980s under Deng Xiaoping's reforms.

Versions

Sichuan version

The original Sichuan version uses chicken as its primary ingredient. In this original version, diced chicken is typically mixed with a prepared marinade. Shaoxing wine is used to enhance flavor in the marinade. The wok is seasoned and then chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns are flash-fried to add fragrance to the oil. In Sichuan, or when preparing Sichuan-style Kung Pao chicken, usually Sichuan-style chili peppers such as

facing heaven pepper The facing heaven pepper (Chinese name: 朝天椒; pinyin: ''cháotiānjiāo'', also known as 指天椒; pinyin: ''zhǐtiānjiāo'' meaning "skyward-pointing chili pepper"), is a type of cone pepper, a group of cone-shaped, medium-hot chili pe ...

or seven stars pepper () are used. Smaller, thinner Sichuanese varieties may also be used. Sichuan peppercorns are then added; while Kung Pao chicken does not belong to the numbing-spicy "''mala''" flavor profile (), a small amount of fresh toasted peppercorns are traditionally used to balance the heat of the chilis. Then the chicken is stir-fried and chopped welsh onion, along with peanuts, are added. Kung Pao chicken starts off with fresh, moist, unroasted peanuts. These are often used instead of their pre-roasted versions. The peanuts are dropped into the hot oil at the bottom of the wok, then deep-fried until golden brown before the other ingredients are added. Variants exist that use other meats in place of chicken, such as "Kung Pao shrimp" () and "Kung Pao frog legs" ().

Guizhou version

The neighboring province of Guizhou, southeast of Sichuan, has a variant of Kung Pao chicken based on the ciba fermented chili paste ( ''cíbā làjiāo'') of

Guizhou cuisine Guizhou cuisine, or Qian cuisine, consists of cooking traditions and dishes from Guizhou Province in southwestern China. Guizhou cuisine shares many features with Sichuan cuisine and Hunan cuisine, especially in bringing the sensation of sp ...

. Like the Sichuan version, the dish features marinated cubes of chicken; while the Guizhou marinade is largely the same as the Sichuan version's, the chicken cubes are larger and typically skin-on. The dish is further distinguished in that rather than flash-frying whole peppers in oil before stir-frying, a large quantity of the ciba chili paste is fried in the wok until the oil is stained. The chicken is then stir-fried in the resulting sauce with garlic, ginger, and green garlic or green onion.

Western versions

Versions commonly found in the West, called ''Kung Pao chicken'', ''Kung Po'', or just ''chicken chili and garlic'', consist of diced, marinated chicken, stir-fried with orange or orange juice, ginger, garlic, chicken broth, sugar, cooking oil, corn starch, and salt and pepper to taste. Many other vegetables may be added, such as onion, bell pepper or carrots. The dish often includes or is garnished with whole roasted peanuts. Instead of chicken, Western variations sometimes substitute other meat such as pork, duck, fish, shrimp, or tofu. File:Kung Pao Chicken.jpg, Westernized version of Kung Pao chicken ''

gaifan ''Gaifan'' () or ''gaijiaofan'' () is a type of dish in Chinese cuisine typically offered in low-cost establishments. It consists of a fish, meat, or vegetable topping served over rice. The dish can be either freshly cooked or previously cooked, ...

'', served in London File:Kung Pao chicken.jpg, Another version of Kung Pao chicken File:Kung Pao Chicken (in Fresno, California) - 宮保雞丁（在加利福尼亞州的弗雷斯諾）.jpg, A plate of homestyle Kung Pao chicken in Fresno, California.

References