Kung Pao Chicken

China1800sChicken/Peanuts/Chili
OriginChina
Year1800s
Key IngredientsChicken/Peanuts/Chili

About Kung Pao Chicken

Named after Ding Baozhen, a Qing governor whose honorary title was Gongbao, meaning palace guardian. Cubes of chicken fried with peanuts, dried chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns. The Western versions with vegetables and sweet sauce bear little resemblance. A stale dish in China but a takeout legend abroad. The Governor Chicken survives under many names.

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