- Country of origin
- 🇨🇳 China
- Category
- Main Course
- Difficulty
- ●○○ Easy
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4 people
Cooking method
Technique: a fast stir-fry over very high heat (“wok hei”), with the chilies and Sichuan peppercorns infused into the hot oil before the chicken is added to maximize their aroma.
Traditional equipment: a cast-iron wok heated to very high temperature.
Signs it’s ready: the chicken should stay tender despite the fierce heat; the peanuts should retain their crunch at the end of cooking.
History
Kung Pao chicken (gong bao ji ding) is said to take its name from a late 19th-century Sichuan governor, Ding Baozhen, whose honorary title “Gong Bao” was reportedly given to this stir-fry of chicken, peanuts, and chilies that he was especially fond of, though this origin story remains largely anecdotal and unverifiable.
An emblematic dish of Sichuan cuisine, Kung Pao chicken pairs the heat of dried chilies with the characteristic numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns (mala), a sensory combination unique to the region that has been significantly toned down in its Western adaptations.
Ingredients — serves 4
- 1.1 lb (500g) chicken breast
- 3.5 oz (100g) roasted peanuts
- Dried chilies
- Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 bell pepper
- Soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar
- Garlic, ginger, cornstarch
Kung Pao Chicken, step by step
- Cut the chicken into small cubes and marinate it with a little soy sauce and cornstarch.
- Prepare a sauce by mixing soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, and a little water.
- Fry the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns in hot oil over high heat to infuse the oil.
- Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry quickly until golden.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, and diced pepper, then stir-fry for a few more moments.
- Pour in the prepared sauce, add the roasted peanuts, toss quickly over high heat, and serve immediately.
Nutrition, per serving
Calculated from the raw ingredient quantities above, divided by four servings.
Chicken breast keeps the saturated fat low. At 46 g of protein and only 4 g of saturated fat per serving, this is one of the leaner stir-fries in this collection — most of the 22 g of total fat comes from the peanuts and the stir-fry oil rather than from the meat itself. Carbohydrate stays modest, driven mainly by the cornstarch coating and the small amount of added sugar in the sauce.
Economic context
Chicken breast, peanuts, and dried chilies are all everyday pantry staples in Sichuan cooking, and Kung Pao chicken is typically a fast home or restaurant meal rather than a festive dish. It sits comfortably within routine Chinese home cooking rather than above it.
Source: World Bank / FAO, Food Prices for Nutrition database (Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet) v4.0, 2024 data, CC BY 4.0, DOI 10.57966/41AN-KY81. Retrieved 29 July 2026. This figure describes the cost of a healthy diet in China generally — it is not a costing of this specific recipe.
Who this dish suits
Fits well with
- High-protein, lower-saturated-fat meals — 46 g protein against 4 g saturated fat
- Diets that welcome peanuts as a fat and protein source
Worth knowing
- Contains peanuts, a common allergen, as a core ingredient rather than a garnish
- Soy sauce and black vinegar are the main sources of sodium
- Sichuan peppercorns provide a numbing sensation rather than heat itself; the dried chilies carry the actual spiciness
What about you?
In your opinion, where’s the best place or restaurant to try great Kung Pao chicken?