Bon bon chicken

Bon bon chicken (also known as Bang Bang Ji (棒棒鸡) and Bang-Bang Chicken) is a very popular dish in China. The name Bang Bang chicken is derived from the manner in which the meat is tenderized using a stick or hammer to hit, or bang it. According to a legend in Ming and Qing dynasties, there was a dedicated chef in the remote areas of Ya'an who enjoyed experimenting with foods. After studying and practicing the art of soup-mixing for a long time, he successfully invented a formula to produce aromatic chicken meat and broth. However, because of the low productivity, chicken was a luxury to enjoy and was only served on holidays.

Someone came up with a strategy: cut the whole chicken into thin slices and sell it by slice. This strategy proved to be very effective, and "chicken slices" gained a good reputation. However, another problem occurred: a kitchen knife could not cut a whole chicken into slices evenly, and customers are often picky when making purchases. However, it was found that beating the chicken into pieces with a giant stick would solve this problem. At the same time, juice broth infuses into the chicken and adds flavor. When preparing the dish, one holds a stick and another holds a knife; the sound made by the stick and the knife striking each other has a rhythmic, almost musical quality, hence the name "Bang Bang chicken".