Wenchang chicken
Wenchang chicken (simplified Chinese: 文昌鸡; traditional Chinese: 文昌雞; pinyin: Wénchāng Jī) is a type of chicken breed and a chicken dish from the Wenchang city area in the island province of Hainan, China.
 Wenchang chicken after cooking, before being cut into pieces | |
| Region or state | Hainan |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Chicken |
Chicken
This variety of small, fleshy[1] free-range chicken is fed coconut and peanut bran. During the last two months before going to market, they are kept in coops above the ground.[1]
Dish
Wenchang chicken is known throughout the province of Hainan. The most traditional way to prepare Wenchang chicken is "white cutting" (白切), which involves immersing the chicken in almost boiling hot water and cooking to preserve its softness and tenderness. It is then eaten by dipping the pieces in a mixture of spices including chopped ginger and salt.[1] The skin of Wenchang chicken is typically yellow, with an oily appearance,[2] although the meat is somewhat drier and has more texture than battery chickens. This dish is also popular in mainland China, in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other Southeast Asian countries.[1]
The dish is the progenitor of Hainanese chicken rice in Malaysia and Singapore, "one of the most beloved culinary exports of Southeast Asia."[3]
References
- "Hainan Four Best Known Dishes-Wenchang Chicken—Hainan Cuisine -Sunny Hainan Holiday |Hainan Tourism official website". Hainantour.com. 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- "Wenchang Chicken - China culture". Kaleidoscope.cultural-china.com. 2010-02-20. Archived from the original on 2010-07-17. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- Pang, Kevin. "THE WORLD'S BEST CHICKEN COMES FROM HAINAN". Saveur. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
