Best Gà Ủ Mùi in Chicago

Gà ủ mùi — Vietnamese salt-baked chicken with peppercorn flower (hoa tiêu) — is a specialty that originated in Chinese-Vietnamese communities. The chicken is marinated with salt, hoa tiêu (Sichuan peppercorn), and spices, then steamed or baked until the skin is golden and the meat is incredibly tender and aromatic. Unlike roasted chicken, gà ủ mùi has a unique numbing-tingly quality from the Sichuan peppercorn that sets it apart. In Chicago, this dish is a specialty at Chinese-Vietnamese delis and restaurants, often sold whole for takeout.