This is the Haidilao Self-Heating Chicken Hot Pot Tomato Flavour, a self-heating hot pot meal featuring a tomato-based broth with chicken, vegetables and vermicelli, from the well-established hot pot restaurant.
Preparation involved adding the sachets of sauce and paste, vegetables, chicken and vermicelli to the internal pot, followed by water up to the specified fill line. The internal pot was then placed inside the external container, which housed the self-heating sachet activated by the addition of water. After covering with the supplied lid, the meal was ready in approximately 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, the hot pot and its ingredients were thoroughly heated. The broth delivered a rich tomato flavour, well rounded and balanced without becoming overly acidic, accompanied by a gentle touch of spicy heat. The advertised crispy chicken, however, was anything but crispy, remaining soft throughout. While the texture was disappointing, it was otherwise serviceable and flavourful, having absorbed the tomato broth. The main source of textural variation came from the vegetables. Lotus root, waxy potatoes and bamboo shoots retained a toothsome crunch, contrasting with the slippery softness of the kelp and the finer, more delicate vermicelli. The vermicelli was particularly enjoyable for its ability to absorb the broth, although a larger portion would have been welcome.
Marketed as serving two, the quantity was better suited to a modest meal for one. While the self-heating format made for a novel experience, the portion size and underwhelming chicken texture meant this was not something we would repurchase.
Overall, a self-heating hot pot with a rich, rounded tomato broth and gentle spicy warmth, supported by contrasting crunchy vegetables, slippery kelp and soft vermicelli. The broth was the strongest component, although the lack of chicken crispness and modest portion size limited the overall appeal.
This Haidilao Self-Heating Chicken Hot Pot Tomato Flavour contained 345 g. It was produced in China and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2026.