Ningdu Three-Cup Chicken

Ningdu Three-Cup Chicken

　　A famous dish from Ningdu with a history of several hundred years. A live, tender chicken, including its internal organs, is cut into pieces and cooked with one cup each of glutinous rice wine, soy sauce, and lard, along with a small amount of scallions and ginger — no water is added. The dish is simmered over low heat in a clay pot for half an hour until the sauce is reduced, then a bit of sesame oil is drizzled in before serving. It boasts authentic flavors and tender meat.

　　Three-Cup Chicken originated in Ningdu. With a long history and distinctive flavor, it has become one of Jiangxi’s signature dishes. The recipe was once featured in China Construction Pictorial and promoted overseas, and it was also selected as part of the main menu in 2008. It has been included in the Chinese Famous Dishes Dictionary.

　　The ingredients for Ningdu Three-Cup Chicken include one Ningdu Sanhuang chicken (named for its yellow feathers, legs, and beak), one cup each of vegetable oil, soy sauce, and rice wine, as well as ginger, scallions, and more. The cooking method is as follows: the chicken is slaughtered, cleaned, and cut into pieces, then placed in a clay pot with an appropriate amount of salt and mixed well. Next, add the oil, soy sauce, rice wine, and three to four slices of ginger, placing the white parts of the scallions on top of the chicken. The clay pot is placed over high heat until the liquid inside comes to a boil, after which the heat is reduced to low to let the sauce reduce. During this time, the chicken should be turned several times to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender, the ginger and scallions are removed, and a little sesame oil is drizzled on top before serving. This dish is renowned for its glossy reddish color, rich aroma, tender texture, and full-bodied original flavor.