Beggar's chicken
Beggar's chicken is a delicious and unique dish that hails from China. It's made by marinating a whole chicken with various aromatic spices and herbs, then wrapped in lotus leaves and clay, and finally slow-cooked to perfection. The clay crust seals in all the flavors and juices, resulting in an incredibly tender and flavorful chicken. It's called "Beggar's chicken" because the story goes that a beggar once stole a chicken, but had no way to cook it, so he wrapped it in clay and baked it underground, creating this delightful dish.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (around 3-4 pounds)
- 8 lotus leaves (soaked in water until soft)
- 8 pounds clay (remove any impurities)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or rice wine)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 inch ginger (sliced)
- 4 green onions (chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, minced garlic, sliced ginger, chopped green onions, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper.
- Clean the chicken thoroughly, removing any excess fat or innards. Pat it dry with paper towels.
- Rub the marinade mixture all over the chicken, both inside and outside. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator) to enhance the flavors.
- Take a large piece of soaked lotus leaf and wrap it around the chicken, ensuring it's completely covered. Repeat with the remaining lotus leaves.
- Take the clay and divide it into 2 equal portions. Roll out one portion into a large, thin circle.
- Place the lotus leaf-wrapped chicken onto the clay circle. Carefully wrap the chicken with the clay, making sure it's completely covered, leaving no gaps.
- Repeat the process with the second portion of clay, double-checking that the chicken is fully enclosed.
- Place the clay-wrapped chicken onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- To serve, crack open the hardened clay crust with a mallet or by gently tapping it with a spoon. Carefully remove the clay and lotus leaves, revealing the beautifully cooked chicken.
- Slice the chicken and serve it with steamed rice or your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!
Disclaimer
Some parts of recipe maybe AI-generated.
Nutrition
Calories: 301kcal (15%)Carbohydrates: 4g (1%)Protein: 26g (52%)Fat: 19g (29%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 95mg (32%)Sodium: 1260mg (55%)Potassium: 322mg (9%)Fiber: 0.5g (2%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 258IU (5%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 29mg (3%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Disclaimer
Nutritional information for this recipe is an approximation and is not to be construed as medical advice.
