Handan Zhangji Smoked Chicken

Handan Zhangji Smoked Chicken

　　Zhangji Smoked Chicken hails from Handan,

　　and gained renown during the Qianlong era,

　　boasting a perfect blend of color, aroma, taste, and form.

　　Renowned for nourishing yin and invigorating yang, it’s hailed as “Old Ming.”

　　Note: “Old Ming” is the nickname of Zhang Deli, successor to the Zhangji Smoked Chicken tradition.

　　Legend has it that during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, a family surnamed Zhou in Zhangji obtained a royal secret recipe and created the dish. By the Jiaqing era, Zhou’s son-in-law, Zhang Deli, further refined the recipe, making it widely celebrated. Its production process is distinctive, using a long-aged master broth blended with over ten types of Chinese herbs. The resulting smoked chicken features crisp bones, tender and falling-off-the-bone meat, and a cracked skin. It is succulent, refreshing, not greasy, with a bright color and firm yet tender texture—making it an excellent choice for nourishing yin, strengthening yang, invigorating the spleen, and benefiting the stomach.

　　How to Make Zhangji Smoked Chicken:

　　1. Ingredient Selection. Choose healthy one-year-old roosters. After slaughtering, truss and shape the chicken similarly to how you would for roast chicken.

　　2. Boiling the Chicken. After trussing, briefly soak the chicken in a well-seasoned master broth, then arrange it neatly in a pot. Simmer gently for two hours. Add salt when the chicken is half-cooked (the amount of salt should be adjusted according to the season and local consumer preferences). Cook until the meat is tender but still holds together, then remove using a hook.

　　3. Smoking. Smoke the chicken while it is still hot. First, brush the boiled chicken with a layer of sesame oil, then place it in a pot fitted with a wire rack. When the pot is slightly red-hot, add white sugar, cover tightly for two minutes, flip the chicken, cover again, and wait another 2–3 minutes before removing.

　　4. Simmering. Place the smoked chicken in the master broth and simmer over low heat to enhance the flavor.

　　Zhangji Smoked Chicken from Handan County features a bright date-red hue, aromatic flavor, tender texture, and meat that is soft yet holds together. It was awarded second prize at the 1984 Henan Province Food Industry Conference and was recognized as a high-quality flavored food by the District Self-Employed Workers Association, District Consumers Association, and District Commerce Bureau in 1990.