From Mala Wings to "Szechuan Sauce": How Big Brands Play With Sichuan Pepper

On September 17, 2025 — McDonald’s Hong Kong launched its 50th Anniversary celebration. 

As part of the campaign, actor-singer-turned-chef Nicholas Tse (謝霆鋒, Xiè Tíngfēng), better known as Chef Nic, introduced a new flavor and menu item: Green Sichuan Peppercorn McWings®.

Image: via Chef Nic on Instagram.

For readers outside Asia, Chef Nic is a bit like Gordon Ramsay meets Justin Timberlake — a household name in Chinese pop culture who reinvented himself as a celebrity chef. His collab stood out because it highlighted the má (麻) numbing buzz of Sichuan pepper, something we rarely see in mainstream Western fast food.

That got us thinking: how have large fast food brands worked with Sichuan pepper before? And why does it show up so often in Asia, but so rarely in the U.S.?

Mulan and the Forgotten Sauce (1998)

We dug through the internet archives and found that the most famous U.S. example dates back to the summer of 1998.  It was peak ’90s — back when Beanie Babies, Tamagotchis, and McDonald’s tie-ins ruled the school yard.

Disney had just released its animated hit Mulan, and McDonald’s — then at the height of its happy meal era — struck a deal with Disney. Alongside collectible toys, the chain introduced something unusual: Szechuan Sauce, a limited-time Chicken McNuggets dip.

Image: AdamL212 on Flickr, licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Marketed as a “Szechuan teriyaki dipping sauce,” the sauce wasn’t fiery or (sadly) numbing in the authentic Sichuan sense. 

Instead, it leaned sweet and tangy, with the key ingredients being soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, ginger, turmeric, garlic, onion, and a touch of sesame oil. 

Still, the name “Szechuan” carried the promise of something exotic, tying an American fast-food giant to one of China’s most famous regional cuisines.

Most assumed it was just another short-lived McDonald’s novelty, like the McRib or McPizza, and it quickly died out.

Rick and Morty Bring Szechuan Sauce Back (2017)

On April 1, 2017, Adult Swim quietly premiered Season 3 of Rick and Morty without warning. 

The episode opens with a dreamlike sequence: Rick revisiting a McDonald’s in his own memory, demanding “as much Szechuan sauce as you’re allowed to give me” so he can taste the long-lost dip one last time.

By the finale, he was ranting that his entire “series arc” was about getting more of that sauce — whether it took nine seasons or 97 years.

What started as a tv gag exploded online. Fans flooded Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook with demands that McDonald’s resurrect the sauce. Justin Roiland, the show’s co-creator, even received a four-pound tub of Szechuan sauce from McDonald’s as a tongue-in-cheek gift.

Not to let a good opportunity go, McDonald’s announced a one-day return of the Szechuan sauce for October 7, 2017. But the rollout was a disaster. 

Some locations received as few as 20 packets. Lines snaked around blocks, fans screaming “we want sauce” were turned away, and chaos ensued — including reports of fights and scalpers flipping packets on eBay for hundreds of dollars. McDonald’s found itself scrambling to explain how a joke sauce had turned into a PR meltdown.

Angry crowd chants "We want sauce" as police force them back. 1000+ people camped out to get #szechuansauce but McDonalds had 70 sauces... pic.twitter.com/wEaqC64Hln

— ian (@slomobo) October 7, 2017

In early 2018, McDonald’s tried to make it right. This time, the company released 20 million packets nationwide — enough to satisfy demand without riots. The frenzy calmed down, but the cult legend of the sauce only grew stronger.

Then came new rounds of comebacks. In 2018, it appeared in China for a short run. In 2022, it returned as an app-exclusive in the U.S. with collectible packet designs, followed soon after by limited promotions in Australia. 

What began as a forgotten Disney tie-in had become an international fast-food event.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbXlY0tOJHu/

The Missing Má in McDonald’s “Szechuan”

For all the hype, McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce never made anyone’s mouth go numb. That signature má (麻) buzz — the tingling, electric sensation of real Sichuan peppercorns — was missing from the start.

The original 1998 Mulan promo, the surprise Rick and Morty revival in 2017, and even the 2022 limited re-release were built on a sweet, tangy base closer to teriyaki-plum sauce than to anything truly Sichuan. Soy, vinegar, and sugar carried the flavor, while the Sichuan peppers and the mouth-numbing magic stayed weak.

The only time McDonald’s even attempted the real thing in the U.S. was in 2023, when its Sweet & Spicy Jam listed “natural Szechuan pepper extract” as an ingredient. But the effect was barely noticeable, buried under cayenne heat and sticky sweetness. 

In other words, America’s most famous “Szechuan” sauce never truly delivered the numbing magic. 

Asia Embraces Mala

Meanwhile, across Asia, fast-food giants have leaned all the way in, making Sichuan pepper and its cousin mala staples of their menus.

• McDonald’s Singapore (2024): Mala Chicken McCrispy and Mala Crispy Chicken Burger, both calling out the numbing heat of Sichuan peppercorns.

• KFC Singapore (2019): limited-edition Mala Chicken, fried and drizzled with a house Sichuan mala sauce.
  

• Lay’s China regularly experiments with bold mala flavors such as Sichuan Peppercorn Crispy Meat Flavor.

Image: Exotic Snacks — Lay’s Sichuan Peppercorn Crispy Pork Flavored Potato Chips.

• Lay’s Taiwan also experiments with green Sichuan pepper wagyu beef hotpot flavor.

In Asia, Sichuan pepper isn’t a gimmick — it’s a staple. From fried chicken to burgers to chips, the má and mala sensations are firmly part of the mainstream.

A Real “Szechuan Sauce” Recipe

It’s rare for major U.S. fast-food companies to truly collaborate with Sichuan pepper. So instead of chasing nostalgia for expired packets of sauce on eBay, why not taste the real thing?

The following recipe takes inspiration from Mashed.com’s copycat McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce by Miriam Hahn and Mashed Staff — but reimagines it with 50Hertz Sichuan pepper oil and freshly ground peppercorns to finally deliver the true má-là magic McDonald’s left out.

Ingredients (makes ~1 cup)

• ½ cup water
• 3 tbsp 50Hertz Sichuan pepper oil (red or green)
• 1 tbsp toasted, freshly ground 50Hertz Sichuan peppers (red or green)
• ¼ cup soy sauce (light)
• 2 tbsp black vinegar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar (optional for brightness)
• 2 tbsp chili crisp or chili oil
• 4 tbsp sugar (or mix 2 tbsp sugar + 2 tbsp honey for body)
• 1 tsp ginger, minced or grated
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 tsp sesame oil (toasted)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (for thickening)
• Pinch of salt (optional — soy is already salty)

Steps

1. Toast the peppercorns until fragrant, then grind coarsely.

2. In a small saucepan, combine water, soy sauce, black vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sugar/honey, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer.

3. Add the cornstarch slurry, stirring until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze. Reduce heat to low.

4. Stir in chili crisp, sesame oil, and 50Hertz Sichuan pepper oil. Sprinkle in the ground peppercorns.

5. Taste and adjust:

   • For a McDonald’s-style sweet kick → add more sugar or honey.

   • For a true má-là punch → add extra pepper oil and ground peppercorn.

A Call for the Real Kick

From Mulan to McWings, ‘Szechuan’ has traveled far — but the true má-là buzz is still waiting to hit the U.S. mainstream. 

Until then, we’ll keep the peppers buzzing. And if McDonald’s (or anyone else) wants the real Sichuan pepper kick? They know where to find us.