Junzi Kitchen announced the launch of its first rice bowl, Firecracker Chicken Millet Rice, to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year (January 25).

“So many customers came in to ask us if we had rice bowls. Now we do.” says co-founder and CEO Yong Zhao, “Junzi’s mission is to serve homestyle Chinese food in the fast-casual format, and this rice bowl is a wonderful addition.”

This hearty rice bowl uses millet rice, a traditional northern Chinese combination called Da Xiao Mifan (literally translated to big and small rice), as the base. Sweet and spicy firecracker chicken thigh marinated in chili, garlic, and Sichuan spices is the main protein. Cabbage and leeks, a soy-marinated egg (also a new limited-time topping available for all other bowls), and caramelized shallots and carrots are also served in the bowl. Customers can opt-in for additional chili oil in the end.

Lighting firecrackers is a living tradition celebrating Lunar New Year in China. “The name is a celebration of the new year, of good luck, and of prosperity,” Chef & Culinary Director Lucas Sin introduces the idea behind this festive dish, “We’re serving a dish that is, on one hand, an ode to the classic American Chinese chicken dish and on the other, a calling to Firecracker Chicken’s traditional Chinese roots by doubling down on seasoning from Sichuan and grains from Northern China.”