Name: Strange Flavor Chicken (Guài Wèi Jī Sī 怪味鸡丝)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 whole medium-sized chicken; 1 large unpeeled ginger root (approximately 100g); 2 spring onions (tied in knots); 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 pinch of salt; 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar; 3 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 2 tablespoons chili oil; ½ to 1 tablespoon ground roasted Sichuan pepper; ¼ cup fried peanuts; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

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Strange Flavor Chicken – Classic Sichuan Cold Chicken Dish with an Unusual Name

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This famous Sichuan delicacy is as impressive as its name suggests. “Strange Flavor Chicken” (Guài wèi jī sī, 怪味鸡丝) is also known as Bang Bang Chicken (Bàng bàng jī, 棒棒鸡). The term “Bang Bang” refers to the traditional technique of pounding the meat with wooden sticks or rolling pins (bàng bàng, 棒棒) to loosen its fibers. Just as choosing the right pasta for Italian sauces matters, this method helps the flavorful sauce cling better to the chicken and allows the meat to absorb more of it.

The “Strange Flavor” (guài wèi, 怪味) sauce embodies a rich nuttiness from sesame paste and sesame oil. It’s sweet from sugar, tangy from Chinkiang vinegar, salty from soy sauce, spicy from chili oil, and numbing from Sichuan peppercorns.

This is truly a unique Sichuan dish and a brilliant way to repurpose leftover roasted or boiled chicken by drenching it in this bold, intense sauce.

Evolution of Bang Bang Chicken

Over time, Strange Flavor Chicken has been adapted by countless chefs, evolving into something unrecognizable. The American version, which you’ll likely encounter at Asian eateries and restaurants, typically features breaded and fried chicken pieces served with a sweet chili or other sauce — sometimes even mayonnaise!

The Origins of Bang Bang Chicken

Kei Lum Chan, co-author of China: The Cookbook, notes that Bang Bang Chicken first appeared around the turn of the 20th century in a small town in Sichuan Province, famous for its delicious local variety of chicken. Originally a popular street food, vendors would sell individual pieces of chicken, allowing customers to purchase as much as they could afford. This made it a practical choice for locals, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds. The dish eventually spread to local Sichuan restaurants and became a beloved item on menus worldwide.

Traditional Cooking Method

While the traditional approach involves simmering the chicken in a fragrant broth, steaming yields a more flavorful result. Simply slice some green onions and create a bed on a plate. Place the chicken pieces on top and sprinkle them with salt. Set up your steamer, place the plate inside, and steam the smaller pieces for 20 minutes or larger ones for about 30 minutes. Steaming preserves more flavor in the meat, preventing its delicious juices from being lost in the water.

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