Gong Bao chicken (宫保鸡丁)

Last Updated on March 24, 2021 by Simon Fan

Gong Bao chicken, or gong bao ji ding (宫保鸡丁) in Mandarin, is one of the most beloved dishes in Chinese cuisine. It’s also among the most misrepresented ones outside China.

If you live in the US, chances are you’ve only had the Americanized version of this dish, often called Kung Pao chicken. While it’s tasty, it bears little resemblance to the original recipe, and should more appropriately be called “stir-fried chicken with mixed vegetables in a sweet and mildly spicy sauce.”

The authentic version, prepared in the Sichuanese way, uses only chicken and peanuts as the main ingredients and tastes incredibly flavorful, complex, and thrilling. It requires that you cut the chicken meat, from breast or thigh, uniformly into small dice, not only for aesthetic reasons but also to ensure each piece is cooked quickly and evenly and each bite brings you a flavor explosion.

It also calls for fried peanuts, made by frying raw peanuts slowly in low-temperature oil until golden and fragrant. Fried peanuts have an intense aroma that’s lacking in roasted peanuts. While roasted ones are a fine substitute, you’ll be richly rewarded if you spend time frying them at home. Trust me on this.

What truly sets Gong Bao Chicken apart from its bastardized versions or other chicken dishes is the clever combination of spices and seasonings, a hallmark of Sichuan cuisine. The optimal ratio of sugar, Zhenjiang vinegar, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce creates balanced and layered flavors. Dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns provide addictive heat and tingle that ignite your senses.

Once you’ve tasted the real thing, there’s no turning back…

Gong Bao chicken (宫保鸡丁)

Serves 2

Ingredients

10 oz (285 g) chicken meat from breast or thigh, cut into ⅗-inch (1.5 cm) cubes

Marinade
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
½ tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch

Sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Zhenjiang (aka Chinkiang) vinegar
½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon potato starch or cornstarch
1½ tablespoons chicken stock or water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
⅓ cup dried chili peppers, seeds removed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
1 scallion, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 oz (60 g) fried or roasted peanuts (see recipe below for fried peanuts)

Directions

1. Mix the chicken with the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and mix well.
3. Place a wok or skillet over low heat until hot, then swirl in the oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and turn up the heat. Stir-fry until the chicken pieces have turned white, about 1 minute. Add the scallion, ginger, and garlic, and continue stirring and mixing for 1 minute.
4. Add the well-stirred sauce to the wok, and stir and toss until the sauce has thickened and nicely coats the chicken pieces, about 30 seconds.
5. Mix in the peanuts and serve right away.

Fried peanuts

10 oz (285 g) raw peanuts with skin
½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over low heat until the oil temperature reaches around 212°F (100°C). Add the peanuts and fry until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Turn down the heat if the color of the peanuts starts to turn dark quickly. Transfer the peanuts to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Let cool, then remove and discard the skins.