Gourd chicken is a traditional dish in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. It began in the Tang Dynasty. It is said that gourd chicken began in the official kitchen of Wei Zhi, the Minister of Rites of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. Gourd chicken is golden red in color, with crispy skin and tender meat. It is fragrant and mellow in taste. It falls off the bone when you chopsticks it. It is rich in protein and saturated fatty acids needed by the human body.