How does Guizhou’s ciba la jiao paste change chilli chicken compared with Sichuan?

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Guizhou’s ciba la jiao paste makes the chilli chicken “wet” and moist, unlike Sichuan’s dry, popcorn-style version

Guizhou chilli chicken at Wawafish is made with ciba la jiao paste, described as “sticky-rice chilli paste”, which thickens the dish and gives it a wet character. In contrast, the Sichuan version of the dish is the best-known one and is associated with crispy “popcorn bits” of chicken amid a mountain of dry-roasted chillies. Wawafish’s take keeps the flavour profile focused on savoury depth and aroma rather than the numbing sensation often linked to Sichuan style.
What ciba la jiao is and what it does to the texture
The ciba la jiao paste uses chillies pounded into a thick paste, and no glutinous rice is used despite the “sticky-rice” name. This paste is a staple way of preparing chillies in Guizhou and it is an essential ingredient in Guizhou-style la zi ji. Because of it, Guizhou’s version is described as “wet”, as opposed to the dry presentation linked to Sichuan.
How Sichuan’s chilli chicken is presented
The Sichuan variant is described as the best-known version of the dish, where the chicken appears as crispy “popcorn bits”. It is also characterised by a large amount of dry-roasted chillies, creating a stark contrast with Guizhou’s wetter approach. This Sichuan style is also associated with a numbing sensation.
How Wawafish’s Guizhou chilli chicken differs in the chicken itself
Instead of crispy popcorn chicken, Wawafish uses moist, tender pieces of chicken for its Guizhou traditional chilli chicken (RM32). The dish also includes a few cubes of konjac jelly for added texture, which supports the “wet” feel created by the ciba la jiao paste. The overall emphasis is on savoury depth and aroma rather than the Sichuan-style numbing sensation.

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How does Guizhou’s ciba la jiao paste change chilli chicken compared with Sichuan?

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