 | |
| Alternative names | Tongzi chicken, Wongzi chicken, Wonggang chicken, Kiln-roasted chicken, Earthenware chicken |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Taiwan |
| Associatedcuisine | Taiwanese cuisine |
| Main ingredients | chicken |
Barrel Chicken (Chinese:桶仔雞;pinyin:tǒng zǐ jī;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:tháng-á-kuê), also known as Wongzi Chicken (甕仔雞), Wonggang Chicken (甕缸雞), Kiln-Roasted Chicken (窯烤雞), or Earthenware Chicken (甕窯雞), is a traditional Taiwaneseroast chicken dish.[1] The name derives from the cooking method, where a whole chicken is placed inside a metal barrel or claykiln for roasting. The dish is popular in rural and mountainous areas of Taiwan and is commonly sold atRechao restaurants and traditionalnight markets.[2]
Barrel Chicken is prepared using a cylindrical metal barrel or clay oven. The chicken is marinated, then suspended inside the barrel and slow-roasted over charcoal.[3]
Originally a simple home-cooked dish in Taiwan's rural areas, Barrel Chicken gained popularity in the 1990s as a specialty in central and southern Taiwan. However, the1999 Jiji earthquake severely affected tourism in the region, leading to a decline in the dish's popularity. It later experienced a resurgence, especially inYilan county after the completion of theHsuehshan Tunnel in 2006, which made travel to the region more accessible.[4]
Several regional variations have since emerged:
Different regions prefer different chicken breeds for Barrel Chicken, each with unique textures and flavours:
The traditional way of eating Barrel Chicken is by tearing the meat apart with gloved hands rather than using utensils.[10] The meal is often accompanied by side dishes such as:
