Kung Pao Chicken
宫保鸡丁 · Gōngbǎo Jīdīng
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📍 Easy to find in Chengdu
Kung Pao Chicken strikes the perfect balance between sweet, savory, and spicy. Tender chicken pieces are wok-fried with roasted peanuts, dried red chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns in a complex sauce of soy, vinegar, and sugar. The dish was named after Ding Baozhen, a Qing Dynasty governor who loved it. His title was 'Gongbao' (Palace Guardian), hence the name.
📖 History
Named after Ding Baozhen, a Qing official who served as governor of Sichuan in the late 1800s. The dish was his personal favorite and later became a Sichuan staple.
🍽 Where to eat it:
Ling Chai Hui (灵柴会) and Yu Zhi Lan (玉芝兰) serve excellent versions. But any proper Chengdu restaurant does it justice.
Ling Chai Hui (灵柴会) and Yu Zhi Lan (玉芝兰) serve excellent versions. But any proper Chengdu restaurant does it justice.