Exploring Chongqing Through Laziji: The Earliest and Modern Ways to Enjoy It

Laziji in Chongqing’s Jianghu cuisine is famous across the culinary world, but few people know that it actually has two ways of being enjoyed: hot and cold, each with its own flavor. A cold chicken dish from the wartime period is considered its precursor.

Many people like to compare traditional Sichuan-style laziji with Chongqing laziji, claiming that the latter originated from the former. In fact, Chongqing laziji and traditional laziji are completely different in technique and preparation, and their flavor profiles are entirely distinct. Traditional laziji leans toward home-style taste, while Chongqing laziji emphasizes the numbing-spicy (mala) sensation.

Some articles suggest that Chongqing laziji originated from a dish called Gangtie Zai Ji (Steel-Iron Chicken). Here, “steel” represents spiciness, and “iron” represents numbness. According to some sources, this dish came from Chengdu. The name “Steel-Iron” was chosen because the preparation method appeared during the Great Steel Campaign in the 1950s. Other articles claim that its recipe was included in the seventh volume of Chinese Famous Recipes published in 1960, but in reality, it was not.

Chongqing laziji has its own history and is not derived from Steel-Iron Chicken. Historically, Steel-Iron Chicken was called Guizhou Chicken. After being introduced to Sichuan, chefs adapted it into Steel-Iron Chicken. When it was brought to Chongqing, it became known as Yuzhou Chicken, which has no relation to laziji.

After the reform and opening-up period, laziji emerged in Chongqing’s Gele Mountain area. This is considered the original preparation of today’s Chongqing laziji and had already appeared in local restaurants as early as the 1940s.

In other words, the popular Jianghu-style laziji that people recognize today originates from Chongqing; it is a native Chongqing Jianghu dish, not derived from traditional laziji. They only share the name, while the technique and taste are completely different. Of course, Chongqing laziji is also not derived from Chengdu’s Steel-Iron Chicken.

From the moment it appeared, Chongqing laziji was astonishingly impressive and closely aligned with the characteristics of contemporary Chongqing Jianghu cuisine: a lavish use of seasonings—so many ingredients and such intense flavors!

The Earliest Way of Eating Chongqing Laziji

To understand the difference between Chongqing spicy chicken and traditional spicy chicken, a simple comparison must be made to highlight their differences. The earliest record of spicy chicken in traditional Sichuan cuisine appears in Fu Chongju’s Chengdu Tonglan (A Comprehensive Survey of Chengdu) from the late Qing Dynasty. The book states:

Traditional Sichuan Laziji

Spicy Chicken: Cut raw chicken into chunks, stir-fry in oil, then add soy sauce, garlic slices, and fish-flavored chili paste to coat.

After cutting the chicken into small pieces, heat oil in a wok. Add the chicken chunks and stir-fry briefly. Then add soy sauce, garlic slices, and fish-flavored chili paste, stir-frying them together. Once the sauce thickens, remove from the heat and serve. This is a common home-style dish with a sour and spicy flavor.

The Republican-era cookbook Yu’s Aerial Cooking also features a dish called Spicy Chicken Cubes, though its method is much simpler. It involves stir-frying green and red chili peppers, ginger powder, salt, sugar, and oil with pre-fried chicken cubes, then adding a suitable amount of broth.

Given the use of green and red chili peppers, this likely represents a fresh and spicy flavor profile. Its preparation and seasoning differ from the chili chicken recipe in the Comprehensive Guide to Chengdu, highlighting the distinctiveness of Sichuan cuisine compared to other culinary traditions. The author also notes, “Chili Chicken Cubes prepared in Sichuan restaurants are the most outstanding,” indicating that while the dish shares the same name, the flavor in Sichuan eateries surpasses that of other regional cuisines.

The 1960 edition of Chinese Famous Dishes, Volume 7: Sichuan Cuisine, features a diced chili chicken recipe adhering to traditional Chengdu methods. This version largely mirrors the cooking techniques described in the Chengdu Panorama, even sharing identical steps, though presented with greater clarity, refinement, and sophistication.

Traditional Laziji Recipe

• Raw Materials

Chicken breast: 3.8 ounces Egg white: 1 Cornstarch: 2.5 ounces Scallion whites: 2 ounces Vinegar: 1 ounce Salt: 1 ounce Pickled red chili peppers: 3.2 ounces Ginger: 1.2 ounces Garlic: 1.2 ounces Cooking wine: 1.2 ounces Soy sauce: 2.5 ounces Broth: 7 ounces Cornstarch slurry: 0.2 ounces Lard: 1.8 ounces MSG: 1 ounce

• Method of Preparation

Use a knife to remove the thin membrane from the chicken breast. On a cutting board, lightly prick the surface with the tip of the knife (do not pierce through) to help the meat absorb seasoning. Cut the breast into strips about 1/4 inch thick and wide, then crosswise against the grain into 1/4-inch cubes. In a bowl, mix the egg white with cornstarch to form a slurry.

Add salt (1 part) and cooking wine (6 parts), then pour over the chicken cubes and toss to coat. Peel and thinly slice the ginger and garlic into 1/3-inch squares. Diagonally slice the scallion whites into 6-inch-long segments. Place in a bowl and add cooking wine (6 parts), soy sauce, broth, and cornstarch slurry. Set aside.

Place a wok over high heat. Pour in the lard and heat until it reaches 70% heat. Add the chicken cubes, using a ladle to separate them. Immediately add finely chopped pickled chili peppers and stir-fry rapidly a few times until the chicken cubes are evenly coated with the chili red color. Immediately add the prepared ginger, scallions, and garlic to the wok with a spatula. Stir briefly, then pour in the bowl of seasonings. Give one final stir before removing from the heat. Drizzle in a small amount of vinegar (about 1 tablespoon) just before serving.

• Characteristics

This dish features a bright red color, tender texture, and a savory flavor that is mildly spicy, with a pronounced aroma of pickled chili peppers.

The Earliest Chongqing Laziji: Cold Chicken

However, the preparation of Chongqing laziji differs greatly from the traditional methods mentioned above—almost a completely separate approach. It does not use vinegar, pickled chili, or yulaizi (fish chili), and its flavor profile is entirely different. Traditional laziji is tangy and spicy, with the spiciness not particularly pronounced; in contrast, Chongqing laziji is aromatic and spicy, with a very prominent heat.

According to historical records, the earliest known recipe for Chongqing laziji appeared in the post-war Xinhua Daily, and its technique was completely different from traditional laziji or diced laziji. The choice and proportion of seasonings were worlds apart.

In the spring of 1947, Xinhua Daily published a recipe for Cold Chicken (Lengshi Ji), which read as follows:

If using a chicken weighing about two jin (preferably a rooster) for cold chicken, you should buy half a jin of dried red chili, one jin of vegetable oil, one jin of premium soy sauce, one jin of aged rice wine, two liang of Sichuan pepper, three to four liang of rock sugar, two lumps of fresh ginger, and five to six bunches of green onion. After purchasing the ingredients, slaughter the chicken and cut the meat into pieces roughly the size of broad beans.

Cut the red chili into pieces of the same size, tie the green onions into small bunches, and slice the ginger finely. Once everything is prepared, pour the vegetable oil into a hot pan and heat until it is spicy-hot, then let it cool. Next, place the chili and Sichuan pepper in the pan and stir-fry for about a minute. Then, gradually add the soy sauce, rice wine, and other ingredients, mixing well with a spatula. Cook thoroughly, remove from the pan, and allow to cool before eating—the flavor is excellent.

“Cold chicken” refers to chicken served cold, but even if not chilled, it can be eaten immediately after cooking. In this sense, it is essentially the same as today’s Chongqing laziji, or what can be considered the early form of Chongqing laziji.

Modern Way of Eating Chongqing Laziji

This section introduces the current way of eating Chongqing Gele Mountain Spicy Chicken, which I once summarized as “Searching for it a thousand times, only to find it suddenly appearing in its crimson glory.” It is Gele Mountain Spicy Chicken that taught us it can be eaten hot or cold, but the preparation method is almost entirely inherited from the cold-served chicken techniques of the 1940s.

This shows that in Chongqing, spicy chicken has a tradition, and it is a completely authentic Chongqing style, quite different from the traditional spicy chicken or spicy chicken pieces.

In the modern era, Chongqing’s “Jianghu” (江湖, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chili peppers) spicy chicken is vibrant in color, spicy, and fragrant, with crispy chicken meat. The chicken and chili peppers complement each other, with a crispy aroma from the dried chilies fried in oil, making it incredibly appetizing.

This dish has attracted diners from all over, drawn by its aroma, searching among the fiery red chilies for the fragrant, crispy, tender, and fresh chicken meat, earning it the reputation of being the “most interesting” way to eat it.

Modern Laziji Recipe

• Main Ingredients

1 free-range rooster (approx. 1000g)

• Supporting Ingredients

150g dried red chili peppers, 50g Sichuan peppercorns

• Seasonings

8g salt, 6g MSG, 5g ground black pepper, 50g cooking wine, 5g soy sauce, 20g garlic, 20g scallions, 25g ginger, 15g garlic shoots, 500g peanut oil (actual consumption: 100g), 3g white sugar, 5g toasted sesame seeds, 15g sesame oil

• Preparation Method

Slaughter the free-range rooster, remove feathers and entrails, and wash thoroughly. Remove head and claws, then chop into 2cm cubes. Place in a bowl. Add 6g salt, 4g MSG, cooking wine, white pepper, and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly and marinate for about 30 minutes.

Peel and slice the garlic. Wash and shred the scallions. Cut the garlic shoots into sections. Julienne the ginger. Remove stems and seeds from dried red chili peppers, then cut into small pieces.

Heat peanut oil in a wok over high heat until it reaches 80% heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces and fry until the surface dries and turns deep golden brown. Remove and drain excess oil. Set aside. Reduce heat to low. Fry the dried red chili segments until they slightly change color. Add Sichuan peppercorns and fry until crisp and fragrant. Remove and set aside.

Leave 50g of oil in the wok. Add scallion, ginger shreds, and garlic slices, stir-frying until fragrant. Add the fried chicken pieces and toss. Incorporate the fried dried chili segments, Sichuan peppercorns, and garlic chive sections. Stir-fry over high heat. Season with the remaining salt, MSG, and white sugar. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, drizzle with sesame oil, and plate.

• Characteristics

Bright red color, tender and crispy texture, rich and spicy flavor.

• Key Points

Spicy Chicken is typically served hot, but it also has a unique flavor when enjoyed cold.

Conclusion

Chongqing laziji is not only the city’s culinary signature but also an essential part of traveling here. From the wartime Cold Chicken to today’s fiery, crispy Jianghu-style dish, it carries the boldness and intensity unique to Chongqing. Served hot or cold, it offers different textures and experiences, almost like letting you feel the city’s heartbeat: numbing-spicy, fragrant, and generously seasoned—much like the straightforwardness and warmth of Chongqing people.

Traveling in Chongqing isn’t just about sightseeing or checking off landmarks; it’s about following the flavors. In a small eatery on Gele Mountain, pick up the bright red chilies with your hands, discover the hidden chicken cubes, and every bite becomes a meeting point of history and human touch. Chongqing laziji shows us that a city’s culture is often hidden in its most everyday flavors.

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