Authentic Sichuan stir-fry with tender chicken, roasted peanuts, dried chillies and the signature tingly numbing spice of Sichuan peppercorn.
Kung Pao Chicken (Gōng Bǎo Jī Dīng) is one of China's most iconic dishes, originating in Sichuan province. The combination of dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns creates the famous 'mala' — simultaneously spicy and numbing — flavour profile that defines Sichuan cuisine. The dish is named after Ding Baozhen, a Qing dynasty governor of Sichuan who was posthumously given the title 'Kung Pao' (Palace Guardian).
Serves 4
Combine chicken with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Mix well and marinate 15 minutes.
Whisk together 2 tbsp soy sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch-water slurry. Set aside.
Heat wok over high heat until smoking. Add oil. Add dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns — fry 20 seconds until fragrant and slightly darkened. Add garlic and ginger — fry 15 seconds.
A hot wok is essential for authentic 'wok hei' — the smoky breath of the wok.
Add marinated chicken in a single layer. Let sear undisturbed 60 seconds, then stir-fry 2–3 minutes until cooked through.
Pour in the sauce. Toss to coat everything. Add spring onions and peanuts. Stir-fry 30 seconds until sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
Serve immediately over steamed white rice. Garnish with extra spring onions.
Use a carbon steel wok and get it screaming hot — this creates wok hei, the smoky flavour impossible to replicate on low heat.
Toast Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan first to deepen the numbing aroma.
Velvet the chicken: the cornstarch marinade creates a silky, tender texture that restaurant chicken has.
Kung Pao Prawns: substitute chicken with jumbo prawns — cook time drops to 2 minutes.
Kung Pao Tofu: use extra-firm pressed tofu — pan-fry until crispy before adding to wok.
Less heat: reduce chillies to 3–4 and use regular black pepper instead of Sichuan peppercorn.
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in wok over high heat — do not microwave as peanuts go soft.
Named after Ding Baozhen (1820–1886), governor of Sichuan province and a lover of this dish. His official title Tàizǐ Shǎobǎo was shortened to 'Kung Pao'. The recipe was suppressed during China's Cultural Revolution as a symbol of imperial culture, but returned to menus in the 1980s and became one of the world's most ordered Chinese dishes.
Mala means 'numbing-spicy'. The Sichuan peppercorn causes the numbing (麻/má) sensation by activating touch receptors on the tongue. Combined with the heat (辣/là) of dried chillies, you get mala — the defining flavour of Sichuan cuisine.
You can, but the dish won't be authentic. Look for them in Asian supermarkets — they're increasingly available. There is no real substitute for the numbing sensation.
Per serving (350g / 12.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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