Ningqiang Spicy Chicken

Ningqiang Spicy Chicken

　　Ningqiang Spicy Chicken

　　In Ningqiang, Shaanxi, there is a uniquely flavorful cold dish that is indispensable at upscale banquets; often seen on ordinary families’ dining tables; a must-try when friends visit; and frequently chosen as a gift. It is none other than the renowned and highly acclaimed local specialty of Ningqiang — Wang Family Spicy Chicken.

　　Wang Family Spicy Chicken is also known as Granny Wang’s Spicy Chicken. In 2002, the trademark was registered under the name of the then proprietor, Wang Suyun, with the full title being “Wang Suyun Spicy Chicken,” featuring her portrait.

　　Granny Wang is the founder of Wang Family Spicy Chicken.

　　Granny Wang’s real name was Li Xuanzhen, originally from Gaozaizi in the county. Because her husband’s family name was Wang, and after living in town for many years, growing older and gaining seniority in the family, relatives started calling her “granny,” and the neighborhood kids followed suit. The adults, accustomed to using the children’s term, prefixed it with her husband’s surname, so everyone called her Granny Wang, and her spicy chicken was dubbed Granny Wang’s Spicy Chicken. Both acquaintances and strangers referred to her this way, and over time, “Granny Wang” became a well-known and trusted name.

　　Granny Wang was born in 1910 and passed away in 1992 at the age of 82. From the only surviving photo, she appeared plump, with well-defined features and a face full of warmth and prosperity. Her husband, Wang Rongjin, was born around 1907 and died in 1981 at the age of 74. The Wang family came from a long line of merchants, and it is said that their ancestors even included a tribute student. However, there was an unwritten rule in the Wang family: descendants were only allowed to engage in business, not hold official positions. Interestingly, two of Ningqiang’s most famous local snacks — “Wang Family Walnut Flatbread” and “Wang Family Spicy Chicken” — both originated from the same Wang family. After getting married, the Wang family had already fallen on hard times. To make ends meet, Granny Wang began running small businesses, selling cured pork, cold beef dishes, and later adding chicken. By the time of the public-private partnership era, Granny Wang worked at a joint operation store. In 1958, Wang Rongjin suffered a serious injury during the mass steel-smelting campaign that left him hemiplegic. The joint operation store then encouraged Granny Wang to find another way to support herself. So, the couple earnestly began focusing on their own snack business.

　　Ningqiang borders Sichuan, and locals have a taste for spicy and numbing flavors. Granny Wang thus started making spicy chicken to sell. At first, the flavor wasn’t very good, but over time, she actively sought customer feedback and continuously improved her recipe. Through repeated experimentation, research, and refinement in heat control and seasoning, she eventually developed a fairly mature method for making spicy chicken. By the 1960s, the reputation of Granny Wang’s Spicy Chicken began to spread gradually within the county.

　　According to Wang Baishou (1946–), Granny Wang’s son, his family sold spicy chicken when he was a child. His mother made it, and his father sold it. When night fell, his father would take a bamboo basket containing a large plate filled with freshly mixed spicy chicken. He carried a lantern in one hand and the basket in the other, walking through the streets and alleys, calling out his wares. He also sold at small taverns, such as the one at the entrance of Ningyi Middle School and the one at Shuiguailou — drinkers loved having spicy chicken with their drinks. Just a couple of chicken feet or some chicken intestines could accompany a whole drinking session. Whenever his father went out to sell the chicken, I would follow behind, holding the lantern, listening to my father’s calls, and watching adults and children run out of their homes to buy our spicy chicken. Some would eat it right on the spot, others took it home. Especially the kids — impatient as they were — would start eating as soon as they got it, often smearing red oil all over their mouths and cheeks. The numbing would make their lips tingle fiercely, and the spiciness would make them gasp “tsitsi,” while saliva dripped freely, yet they’d still shout, “More, more!” After I started middle school and took an interest in woodworking, I designed and made a pushcart with a small drawer for money. On the top was a rectangular surface for placing plates, and in the upper left corner was a spot for the lantern (also called a hooded lamp). My mother loved it — with this cart, she could save a lot of effort, customers didn’t have to bend down, and it looked quite nice too.

　　As Granny Wang’s Spicy Chicken gained more fame, more and more people came to love it. Seven or eight households in the county also started making and selling spicy chicken in imitation of Granny Wang, helping to support the livelihoods of many. However, Granny Wang had her own loyal customers who swore by the unique flavor of her spicy chicken and wouldn’t touch anyone else’s. It’s said that one driver asked someone to buy him some Granny Wang’s Spicy Chicken to take home. Even after receiving it, he remained uneasy and halfway back, returned to the Wangs to confirm it was indeed bought from them before leaving satisfied. One particularly savvy kid, used to Granny Wang’s flavor, refused to eat anyone else’s. Once, when Granny Wang’s spicy chicken sold out and the adults bought him some from elsewhere, telling him it was Granny Wang’s, the kid took one bite, spat it out, and cried, accusing the adults of lying. He threw a tantrum until he got the real Granny Wang’s Spicy Chicken. Some people don’t even look at the chicken itself — they just look at who’s selling it. If Granny Wang is sitting there, they’ll buy without hesitation. But if it’s a family member, they’ll question whether it’s really from the Wangs. Only after getting confirmation will they decide to purchase.

　　Granny Wang had three children — two daughters and one son. The eldest daughter married far away in Xi’an, the younger daughter worked in the county, and the son, after attending railway school, was assigned to work in the railway sector until retirement. Influenced by their upbringing, both of Granny Wang’s children learned how to make spicy chicken. Especially the younger daughter, Wang Jiyin, who became a great help to her brother after he left for school.

　　In 1969, the Wang family welcomed a new daughter-in-law. She was the wife of Granny Wang’s son, Wang Baishou. Coincidentally, she also had the surname Wang, named Wang Suyun, born in 1949 with junior high education, and her family was also from Gaozaizi.

　　After marrying into the Wang family, Wang Suyun learned to make spicy chicken from her mother-in-law. By then, the mother-in-law was already quite well-known. Though the stall was set up at the family’s doorstep, Wang Suyun rarely appeared there — partly because she was shy about doing business, and partly because customers only recognized Granny Wang as the living signboard. Wang Suyun worked diligently in the kitchen year-round, learning the entire process of making spicy chicken through her mother-in-law’s oral and hands-on teaching. From selecting ingredients to slaughtering, washing, cooking, chopping, and preparing the sauce and mixing, she mastered every step. Later, as her mother-in-law aged and developed age-related cataracts, making it difficult to work, Wang Suyun took over entirely, stepping from behind the scenes to the forefront.

　　With the development of the times, social progress, and improving living standards, the demand for spicy chicken gradually increased. Customers went from buying a piece or two to half a chicken or even a whole one. Some even wanted to watch the preparation process. So, Wang Suyun purchased modern equipment such as freezers, electric fans, and vacuum sealers. Based on customer needs, she would select a chicken of the appropriate size, then, in front of the customer, swiftly chop it up in two or three minutes, quickly prepare the sauce, mix everything together, pack it, and hand it over. She ensured that every customer who bought her spicy chicken left happy and satisfied.