Barrel chicken

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, the 1999 Jiji earthquake severely affected tourism in the region, leading to a decline in the dish's popularity. It later experienced a resurgence, especially in Yilan county after the completion of the Hsuehshan Tunnel in 2006, which made travel to the region more accessible.^[4]

Several regional variations have since emerged:

• Jiaoxi, Yilan – Developed a popular "Barrel Chicken Street," featuring different styles, including volcanic-roasted chicken.^[5][6]
• Guanziling, Tainan – Introduced Teapot Kiln Chicken (茶壺甕缸雞), cooked in a ceramic pot.^[7][8]
• Dakeng, Taichung and Zhushan, Nantou County – Use red brick kilns for roasting, emphasizing a smokier flavour.^[9]

Different regions prefer different chicken breeds for Barrel Chicken, each with unique textures and flavours:

• Red-Feathered Chicken (紅羽土雞) – More tender, commonly preferred in northern Taiwan.
• Black-Feathered Chicken (黑羽土雞) – Slightly chewier, favored in central and southern Taiwan.
• Fighting Chicken (鬥雞) – Mostly used in Hakka cuisine, known for its firm texture.

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:

• Litsea cubeba (馬告) and lemongrass (香茅) (used in Indigenous Taiwanese restaurants)
• Seasoned salts (五色彩鹽), including curry salt, bamboo charcoal salt, and kimchi salt
• Herbal marinades, sometimes using traditional Chinese medicine ingredients
• Garlic and scallions, stuffed inside the chicken before roasting

• Taiwanese cuisine
• Taiwanese turkey rice
• Chicken wing rice roll