Gong bao [kung pao] chicken with peanuts (Gong bao ji ding) from Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking (page 237) by Fuchsia Dunlop

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Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • Eat Your Books

    Can substitute medium-dry sherry for Shaoxing rice wine, cornstarch for potato flour, and pork, shrimp or prawns for chicken breasts.

  • Snopes on February 17, 2022

    Better than any restaurant version I've ever had.

  • ashallen on July 20, 2021

    Loaded with wonderful, intense flavors - loved it and will definitely make it again! I don't handle chili-heat very well, so I used 3 chili de arbol (seeds removed, but not ribs) versus the handful of dried chilies specified in the recipe. Despite that cutback and my not-super-fresh Sichuan peppercorns, the dish was still at the edge of being too hot for me! Still very delicious, though, and the sugar in the sauce helps balance the heat.

  • Rradishes on December 29, 2017

    This was good but be very careful with the chilis; a handful for which the recipe calls made mine very very hot. Maybe it was just the batch of peppers, but will make again with alot less chilis.

  • clcorbi on December 14, 2016

    We really enjoyed this! I loved how the ultra-quick cooking time kept the chicken breasts super tender. This is one dish where I actually didn't mind the white meat (as normally I prefer to cook with thighs). We both thought the sauce was super flavorful. Surprisingly, I didn't find this spicy enough! I may not have let the dried chiles stir-fry long enough before adding the chicken, but I think next time I would just add more sichuan peppercorn, since we love that numbing flavor. I also ground the peppercorns in my mortar and pestle rather than leaving them whole, since I don't love biting into a whole one. I think I decreased the quantity of peanuts a bit as well. This was very quick and easy and great for a weeknight.

  • Breadcrumbs on April 19, 2014

    p. 237 - I know this is a very popular Chinese dish but I have to admit it’s been years since I’ve had it. During my recent trip to Beijing the chef at my hotel suggested I order Gong Bao since he knew I liked spicy dishes. I have to say, I absolutely loved it. Back at home and one week later I was already craving it so I pulled out FD’s book and set to it. Perhaps it’s not fair to compare but this was a bit of a let down. Like LlM, I too felt there were too many peanuts. The dish was also saucier than the one I had in Beijing. Certainly both issues are easy enough to rectify next time around but I think I’ll look to one of my other Chinese cookbooks for a different recipe next time. I should note that mr bc quite liked it and did not think there were too many peanuts. I used thighs vs chx breasts. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/494664#8887996

  • stockholm28 on August 25, 2013

    Really delicious! I will be making this again.

  • minerva on July 28, 2013

    I've made this with both chicken and pre-fried tofu. When using tofu, I add some of the marinade ingredients to the wok instead of actually marinating. It is not very spicy unless you bite into a chile, which is very much so.

  • Delys77 on January 08, 2013

    Very good rendition of Kung Pao chicken. While I like peanuts I did cut back on the suggested amount by about half as I thought it would be too much. As I served it I thought the amount of peanuts was just right. While the dish is spicy, it wasn't unreasonably so, especially since I removed the chiles from the dish before serving so that no one would have a bite with a chili in it. The acidity is very nicely balanced with sweetness and heat.

  • amraub on June 07, 2012

    I love this version of kung pao chicken. I've made it many times using both breasts and thighs and every time it's a huge hit. It is a little heavy on the peanuts, but I love peanuts so that's not a problem!

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Reviews about this recipe

  • NPR

    Report by Melissa Block from Chengdu includes preparing this dish.

    Full review
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