Double Phoenix Braised Chicken

Double Phoenix Braised Chicken

　　The Double Phoenix Braised Chicken from Taicang is a well-known local traditional dish. This famous delicacy originates from Shuangfeng, a historic and cultural town with a history of 1,600 years. Historical records indicate that the name “Shuangfeng” comes from a legend dating back to the sixth year of the Xianning reign during the Jin Dynasty (331 AD), when a monk named Zhi Daolin was digging the foundation for a temple. He unearthed two stone turtles, which then transformed into two phoenixes and flew away gracefully. The name has been used ever since.

The ancient town of Shuangfeng has long been known for its “prevailing Confucian ethos and people’s deep sense of etiquette.” During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the area boasted numerous gardens and temples, attracting literati and scholars who often visited Shuangfeng for spring outings, sightseeing, and refined gatherings. Legend has it that during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty, Tang Bohu, known as the “Number One Romantic Talent of the Jiangnan Region,” along with the great calligrapher Zhu Zhishan, visited the local celebrity Zhou Yuyan, also known as the Banana Lord, in Shuangfeng. To show hospitality, Zhou ordered his family to prepare the traditional Shuangfeng Braised Chicken using their secret ancestral recipe. Both Tang Bohu and Zhu Zhishan were renowned gourmets with very particular tastes, and it was rare for them to praise ordinary food. However, upon tasting the Shuangfeng Braised Chicken, they were captivated by its tender, juicy, and crispy meat, its richly aromatic braising sauce, its perfect texture—neither too tough nor too soft—and its balanced flavor, neither too strong nor too mild. They were instantly ravenous and showered it with praise. Even after finishing the meal, they still savored the lingering fragrance and found the taste unforgettable. So impressed were they by Shuangfeng that Tang Bohu composed a poem on the spot, including the line “Ten scenic views rival those of Jiankang, abundant produce spreads fame beyond borders.” Unfortunately, for 500 years, this exceptional Jiangnan dish, the Shuangfeng Braised Chicken, remained merely a local specialty and traditional preserved food, not widely known outside the region. Fortunately, however, the ancestral recipe and traditional cooking techniques have been passed down through generations. According to local elders, in the old days, nearly every wealthy household in Shuangfeng—even common farming families—owned a multi-generational braising pot. When winter set in or during festivals, they would slaughter their own free-range chickens, drain the blood, pluck the feathers, clean the innards, parboil the chickens until half-cooked, let them cool slightly, and then place them in the braising pot filled with stock. Following the secret recipe, they would add various seasonings such as fennel and Sichuan peppercorn, and simmer the chicken over low heat. When the pot was opened, the braised chicken revealed a gleaming skin, plump and richly textured, exuding an enticing aroma that made mouths water.

Due to the simplicity and lack of commercial acumen among the local villagers, no one had thought to develop or promote this traditional delicacy. As a result, for 500 years, it remained quietly tucked away in the countryside, enjoyed only by a small number of locals—a truly regrettable situation. After the 1980s, the winds of reform and opening-up finally reached the ancient town of Shuangfeng. Local visionaries began to realize that the Shuangfeng Braised Chicken was a traditional product with development potential and promising prospects. Thus, they collected various folk recipes, studied traditional cooking methods, compared them repeatedly, and selected the best among them to establish an optimal formula. Later, they introduced advanced technologies and registered the trademark “Chunhuang” (Spring Phoenix). Thus, from this ancient land of Shuangfeng, a “Spring Phoenix” took flight once again in the early 1990s.

Once launched on the market, Shuangfeng Braised Chicken quickly won the favor of diners. The product rapidly entered markets in Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, Beijing, and other cities. By continuously adapting to modern palates, the chicken is tender yet not mushy, and the juices are rich but not greasy. Coupled with modern sterilization techniques and vacuum packaging, it can be stored at room temperature for up to six months without spoilage, all while retaining its unique and original flavor. It has become an excellent choice for travel food, family banquets, and gifts. Today, Chunhuang Foods has expanded into a full range of products, including braised chicken, chicken gizzard, chicken feet, chicken wings, braised duck, beef, lamb, rabbit meat, zizi fish, as well as the century-old traditional snack, Shuangfeng Sparrow Eggs. The Shuangfeng Braised Chicken series is not only hailed domestically as a “water town delicacy” and “Jiangnan flavor,” but has also earned praise from friends in Japan, South Korea, the United States, as well as overseas communities in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Many foreigners, after tasting it, sincerely give a thumbs-up and say “OK.” The beloved Shuangfeng Braised Chicken series has become a Taicang specialty, a Suzhou brand name, and an international gourmet item. It has successively won awards such as the Gold Award at the Jiangsu Food Expo, the Gold Award at the Hong Kong International Food Expo, being a recommended product by the Jiangsu Consumers’ Association, and a Suzhou Famous Product.