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Kung Pao chicken
Kung Pao chicken
Traditional Chinese	宮保雞丁
Simplified Chinese	宫保鸡丁
Literal meaning	Palace Guardian chicken cubes
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Gōngbǎo jīdīng
Bopomofo	ㄍㄨㄥㄅㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄉㄧㄥ
Wade–Giles	Kung1-pao3 chi1-ting1
Tongyong Pinyin	Gong-bǎo ji-ding
IPA	[kʊ́ŋ.pàʊ tɕí.tíŋ]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization	gūng bóu gāi dīng
Jyutping	gung1 bou2 gai1 ding1
IPA	[kʊŋ˥ pɔw˧˥ kɐj˥ tɪŋ˥]

Kung Pao chicken
	A Sichuan version of Kung Pao chicken
Type	Stir-fry
Course	Main
Place of origin	China
Region or state	Sichuan
Associated cuisine	Sichuan cuisine
Invented	Mid-to-late 19th century
Main ingredients	Cubed boneless chicken, chili peppers, peanuts
Variations	Guizhou, Anhui
	Cookbook: Kung Pao Chicken; Media: Kung Pao chicken;

Kung Pao chicken (Chinese: 宮保雞丁; pinyin: Gōngbǎo jīdīng; Wade–Giles: Kung¹-pao³ chi¹-ting¹; Zhuyin Fuhao: ㄍㄨㄥㄅㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄉㄧㄥ), also transcribed Gong Bao or Kung Po, is a spicy, stir-fried Chinese dish made with cubes of cooked chicken, peanuts, vegetables and chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns. From its origins in Sichuan cuisine, the dish's popularity has spread throughout China, spawning a number of regional variations—some of which are less spicy than the classic version.

History

Qing Dynasty

The dish's origins are uncertain, but are believed to be named after Ding Baozhen (1820–1886), a late Qing Dynasty official and governor of Sichuan Province. His title was Taizi Shaobao, which is one of the Gongbao (Chinese: 宮保; pinyin: Gōngbǎo; Wade–Giles: Kung¹-pao³; lit. 'Palace Guardian(s)').^[1] The name Kung Pao chicken is derived from this title, while the use of the character 丁 dīng in the name of the dish is a pun on his surname Dīng, a moderately common Chinese surname that can also be read to mean "small cube" (like the cubes the chicken is diced into for the dish).

Cultural Revolution

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" (simplified Chinese: 糊辣鸡丁; traditional Chinese: 糊辣雞丁; pinyin: húlà jīdīng) by Maoists until its political rehabilitation in the 1980s under Deng Xiaoping's reforms.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[2] 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 or seven stars pepper (Chinese: 七星椒; pinyin: qīxīngjiāo) are used. Smaller, thinner Sichuanese varieties may also be used.^[3] Sichuan peppercorns are then added; while Kung Pao chicken does not belong to the numbing-spicy mala flavor profile (Chinese: 麻辣味型; pinyin: málà wèixíng), a small amount of fresh toasted Sichuan peppercorns are traditionally used to balance the heat of the chilis.^[4] 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.^[5] 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" (Chinese: 宮保蝦; pinyin: Gōngbǎo xiā) ^[6] and "Kung Pao frog legs" (Chinese: 宮保田雞; pinyin: Gōngbǎo tiánjī).^[7]

Guizhou version

The neighboring province of Guizhou, southeast of Sichuan, has a variant of Kung Pao chicken based on the ciba fermented chili paste (Chinese: 糍粑辣椒 cíbā làjiāo) of Guizhou cuisine. And some literature even lists Guizhou as the origin of this dish.^[8] 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.^[4]

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.^[9] The dish often includes or is garnished with whole roasted peanuts. Instead of chicken, Western variations sometimes substitute other proteins such as pork, duck, fish, shrimp, or tofu.^[10]

Westernized version of Kung Pao chicken gaifan, served in London
Another version of Kung Pao chicken
A plate of homestyle Kung Pao chicken in Fresno, California.

References

^ "Ding Baozhen—an outstanding minister of the Qing Dynasty". Replay.waybackmachine.org. 2008-08-20. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
^ "Easy Kung Pao Recipe". Easy Recipes, Tips, Ideas, and Life Musings. 2014-03-27. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
^ "Real Deal Kung Pao Chicken Recipe". www.seriouseats.com. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
^ ^a ^b Chinese Cooking Demystified (23 April 2018). Kung Pao Chicken, 2 ways - Classic Sichuan and Spicy Guizhou (川味宫保鸡丁/黔味宫保鸡丁). YouTube. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
^ "Gong Bao Chicken/Kung Pao Chicken 宫保雞丁/宫爆雞丁 recipe & photos". MaMaChineseCooking.com. 2009-06-22. Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
^ ""欧洲四川美食文化周"走进奥地利". 中国侨网. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
^ "Easy Kung Pao Frog Legs 宫保田鸡". Eat What Tonight. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
^ 商业部饮食服务业管理局 (1965). 中国名菜谱第十一辑 (in Chinese). Beijing: 轻工业出版社. p. 96.
^ "Kung Pao Chicken". Epicurious. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
^ D'Arabian, Melissa (3 October 2017). "Healthy, quick Kung Pao Cod". Washington Post. AP. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.