Poulet Kung Pao
Classique du Sichuan — poulet sauté avec cacahuètes, piments séchés et poivre du Sichuan. Épicé, savoureux et prêt en 25 minutes.
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Nutrition
Étapes
Marinate the Chicken
Toss the diced chicken with the Shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, and the cornstarch in a bowl. Mix well and let it sit for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients. The cornstarch coating will give the chicken a velvety texture when stir-fried.
Prepare the Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water. Taste and adjust the balance of sweet, sour, and salty to your preference. Set aside.
Toast the Aromatics
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies, stirring rapidly for 15-20 seconds until fragrant and the chilies darken slightly. Be careful not to burn them or the dish will taste bitter.
Stir-Fry the Chicken
Add the marinated chicken to the wok in a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for 1 minute. Then stir-fry vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is golden on the outside and cooked through. Add the minced garlic and toss for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Combine and Finish
Pour the prepared sauce into the wok and stir everything together over high heat for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens and coats each piece of chicken in a glossy glaze. Toss in the roasted peanuts at the very end so they stay crunchy. Give a final stir, transfer to a serving plate, and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.
Marinate the Chicken
Toss the diced chicken with the Shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, and the cornstarch in a bowl. Mix well and let it sit for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients. The cornstarch coating will give the chicken a velvety texture when stir-fried.
Prepare the Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water. Taste and adjust the balance of sweet, sour, and salty to your preference. Set aside.
Toast the Aromatics
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies, stirring rapidly for 15-20 seconds until fragrant and the chilies darken slightly. Be careful not to burn them or the dish will taste bitter.
Stir-Fry the Chicken
Add the marinated chicken to the wok in a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for 1 minute. Then stir-fry vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is golden on the outside and cooked through. Add the minced garlic and toss for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Combine and Finish
Pour the prepared sauce into the wok and stir everything together over high heat for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens and coats each piece of chicken in a glossy glaze. Toss in the roasted peanuts at the very end so they stay crunchy. Give a final stir, transfer to a serving plate, and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.
The Story Behind the Dish
Kung Pao Chicken is named after Ding Baozhen (1820-1886), a Qing dynasty official who served as governor of Sichuan province. Known as 'Ding Gongbao' (丁宫保, 'Ding the Palace Guardian'), the dish was created by his household chefs combining diced chicken with Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, and peanuts — ingredients that define Sichuan cooking.
The dish reflects Sichuan cuisine's famous 'málà' (麻辣) flavor — a numbing heat from the peppercorn combined with the strong spiciness of the chillies. Famously, walnuts were sometimes used instead of peanuts in original court versions.
After Ding's death, the dish spread from his household to restaurants across Sichuan and eventually across the globe, where Western adaptations toned down the heat but kept the beloved name.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Kung Pao Chicken achieved global fame because it represents the perfect introduction to Sichuan cuisine — complex numbing-spicy flavor wrapped in a universally appealing stir-fry. It became a staple of Chinese restaurants worldwide and is often listed among the most famous Chinese dishes.
💡 Fun Fact
Because Ding Baozhen's surname 'Ding' and his title 'Gongbao' were politically sensitive after the dynasty fell, the dish was renamed 'Gongbao Jiding' (meaning 'palace guardian chicken' in Mandarin). The story of how foreigners know it as 'Kung Pao' is a case-study in how the name traveled.
Sichuan, China
30.57°N, 104.07°E
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