🍲 Why is Hong Kong-style chicken hotpot so popular? Let's take a closer look!

When it comes to Hong Kong culinary trends over the past two decades, Hong Kong-style chicken hotpot is undoubtedly one of the most popular. Whether in Mong Kok, Causeway Bay, or the New Territories, chicken hotpot specialty shops once flourished in droves. When many Hong Kongers gather with friends, "chicken hotpot" is the first thing they think of. So, why has chicken hotpot become so popular in Hong Kong? The reasons behind this trend are actually due to shifting culinary tastes, social culture, and marketing. Let's break it down!

📜 The origin of Hong Kong-style chicken hotpot

🌶️ A fusion of Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine

While chicken pot is a popular dish in Hong Kong, its inspiration actually comes from the hot pot culture of Sichuan and Chongqing. Locals love spicy hot pot, and chicken pot is also a popular dish. Hong Kong chefs have improved it:

• Keep spicy spices such as Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, shallots, and garlic.
• Add Cantonese seasonings such as chu hou sauce, oyster sauce, and scallop sauce.
• Chicken is the main ingredient, first stir-fry and then stew, and then add hot pot ingredients.

The result was the unique Hong Kong style "Hong Kong style chicken pot".

🍗 The status of "chicken"

Chicken is a common ingredient in Chinese cuisine, symbolizing good fortune and prosperity. Its relatively affordable price makes it readily available to everyone. Using chicken as the main ingredient makes it easier to penetrate the Hong Kong market.

🔥 Features of Hong Kong-style Chicken Hotpot

1️⃣ Dry first then soup

First, stir-fry the chicken with spices and sauces to create a spicy aroma. → After finishing the chicken, add the soup base to make it a hot pot. You can enjoy two kinds of enjoyment at once.

2️⃣ Spicy but not overpowering

The Hong Kong version of chicken hotpot is moderately spicy, usually not too intense, and the spiciness is fragrant, which suits the taste of Hong Kong people.

3️⃣ Diverse Matching

After finishing the chicken, you can add hot pot ingredients such as beef balls, fish slices, vegetables, and noodles to make it a party feast.

4️⃣ Multi-layered spices

In addition to the spicy taste, there are also Cantonese seasonings such as chu hou, bean paste, and oyster sauce, which make the taste more mellow.

🏙️ Why is chicken hotpot so popular in Hong Kong?

1️⃣ Social and cultural needs

Hong Kong people live busy lives, so gatherings are all about sharing . Chicken hotpot, which begins with stir-frying the chicken and then cooking it hot, is perfect for a large group to enjoy while chatting.

2️⃣ Check-in and fashion

In the late 2000s, chicken hotpot restaurants proliferated, heavily advertised, and chicken hotpot became a trendy food. Eager to eat, and often to check in and share their experiences, fueled the chicken hotpot craze.

3️⃣ Hong Kong people love spicy food

With the diversification of food, Hong Kong people are becoming more and more accepting of spicy food. Sichuan and Hunan cuisines are popular, and chicken hotpot caters to this change in taste.

4️⃣ Affordable price

Compared to high-end hotpot, chicken hotpot is relatively affordable. If you share the cost with a group of friends, you can have a rich meal for just a few hundred dollars.

5️⃣ Flexible operations

Most chicken hotpot restaurants are open until late at night, making them a popular late-night gathering spot, especially among young people.

🌐 The social significance of chicken pot

• Representing lively gatherings : Chicken hotpot is no longer just a food, but a social ritual.
• Culinary fusion : embodies Hong Kong’s unique blend of East and West and North and South.
• Trendsetter : Chicken hotpot once became a symbol of "fashionable food", just like bubble milk tea in the 1990s.

😋 Editor's thoughts

I remember the first time I had chicken hotpot. It was at a small Causeway Bay restaurant with my classmates. As soon as we opened the lid, the aroma of dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns burst forth, and everyone was salivating. We started with the spicy chicken pieces, then added the soup to the hotpot, chatting and laughing as we ate. It was a truly joyful experience. For me, chicken hotpot is more than just food; it's the taste of friendship.

🎉 Summary

The popularity of Hong Kong-style chicken hotpot stems from its combination of Sichuan spicy flavors and Cantonese seasoning , along with its unique cooking method of first cooking the hotpot and then adding the soup . This approach appeals to Hong Kong people's love of both spicy food and a lively atmosphere. It also captures social culture and market trends, becoming a shared memory for a generation.

👉 I'd like to ask everyone: What's your favorite hot pot topping for chicken hot pot? Beef balls, scallions, or lettuce?