Imperial Roast Chicken (Ancient Wen Palace Roast Chicken)

Imperial Roast Chicken (Ancient Wen Palace Roast Chicken)

　　"Imperial Roast Chicken" was once a dish served in the imperial palace. According to historians from the Palace Museum, during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the emperor sought nourishing, longevity-promoting foods that were both healthful and not bitter. The Imperial Grand Tutor searched for many years and learned that roast chicken from the Jiangnan region perfectly suited the imperial taste, so he reported it to the emperor as a potential dish. The emperor had the Grand Tutor test it for a year, and the results were notably positive. Thus, this roast chicken, which was excellent in color, aroma, flavor, and presentation, was established as an imperial dish. The imperial chef named it after the roast chicken workshop owner’s surname, calling it "Imperial Old Tang Roast Chicken." After the founding of the People’s Republic, Old Tang Roast Chicken disappeared for a time. In the 1980s, the ninth-generation descendant of the Tang family presented the roast chicken technique to the State Science and Technology Commission. Zheng Wenxuan, former director of the Hanchuan Grain Bureau, purchased the secret recipe and processing techniques for the roast chicken, and invited Tang Guoxing, a descendant of the Tang family, to provide hands-on instruction. This led to the revival of Imperial Roast Chicken in Hanchuan, known as the "Land of Fish and Rice" in the Jianghan Plain.

Imperial Roast Chicken is a unique dish with a history of several hundred years, distinctly different from ordinary roast chicken, braised chicken, pot chicken, or stewed chicken. Its preparation is extremely meticulous, involving eight steps: selecting the chicken, slaughtering, plucking, gutting, cleaning, shaping, simmering, and roasting. It is cooked using aged fermented broth combined with over thirty kinds of traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients such as amomum fruit, angelica dahurica, and longan flesh, then refined with sesame oil, honey, and white sugar. The finished roast chicken has a golden-orange hue, a glossy appearance, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a fluffy texture throughout. Its fibers are easily broken down, making it easy to digest. It is known to invigorate the spleen and stomach, relax tendons and activate collaterals, promote saliva and nourish blood, as well as boost qi and strengthen yang. From skin to meat to bone, the flavor remains consistently delicious. It is crispy and tasty, without any grittiness, stickiness, or greasiness. The taste is richly savory, the texture delicate, and the lingering aroma long-lasting. It is truly a delightful dish that is both nutritious and medicinal, suitable for all ages.

Since its opening in April 1985, Hanchuan Imperial Roast Chicken Grand Hotel has enjoyed booming business and a constant stream of customers. The Hubei Provincial Grain Bureau once hosted a roast chicken tasting event in Wuchang, where managers and master chefs from major hotels and guesthouses in the Wuhan area gave their verdict: "The reputation is well deserved, and the flavor speaks for itself." Since then, many restaurants and hotels from other regions have frequently ordered roast chicken from the Hanchuan Roast Chicken Shop. (Hanchuan)