Local food map Shanghai (China)
Shanghai guides
Recipes 5
Pick a recipe
All Shanghai recipes
Beggar's Chicken — traditional dish from Shanghai, China
Main course Meat

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥840kcal
💪85gProtein
🌾10gCarbs
🥑50gFat
🌿2gFibre
⚖️500 gServing

* Per serving · 500 g. May vary.

Beggar's Chicken

How to order / say it
Say it 叫化鸡 — [jou-hwa-jee]
Order I'd like to try the Beggar's Chicken.
Locally 我想尝试叫化鸡。
Say locally

Whole chicken stuffed and cooked in clay for succulence.

Why try it?

A dish steeped in folklore, Beggar's Chicken is a culinary work of art that evokes the ingenuity and resourcefulness of traditional Shanghai cuisine.

How it tastes

The chicken emerges from the clay perfectly tender and juicy, with fragrant herbs and spices melding into the moist meat.

Origin & History — first documented: 1800

Legends of the Qing Dynasty describe beggars roasting stolen chickens encased in clay; this method preserved moisture and flavor, eventually making it to royal tables.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🥩 1.5 kg whole chicken
  • 🥣 40 ml soy sauce
  • 🧂 20 g ginger
  • 🧄 15 g garlic
  • 🧂 2 pieces star anise
  • 🍷 30 ml shaoxing wine
  • to coat clay

Method

  1. 1 Marinate chicken with soy sauce, shaoxing wine, ginger, garlic, and star anise.
  2. 2 Wrap marinated chicken in lotus leaves.
  3. 3 Encapsulate in clay and bake till the chicken is cooked.
  4. 4 Crack open the clay before serving.

More from Shanghai

Shanghai Fried Noodles © Wikimedia Commons
Main course Meat

Shanghai Fried Noodles

上海炒面
shahng-high chow-mian

Stir-fried noodles with pork and vegetables in soy sauce.
🐟
Main course Fish & Seafood

Shanghai Hairy Crab

上海大闸蟹
shahng-high dah-chah-sheh

Seasonal delicacy of steamed freshwater crabs known for their sweet meat.
Red Braised Pork © Wikimedia Commons
Main course Meat

Red Braised Pork

红烧肉
hong-show-row

Pork belly slow-cooked in soy sauce reduction for rich flavor.
Xiaolongbao © Wikimedia Commons
Snack Meat

Xiaolongbao

小笼包
shaow-long-bow

Delicate steamed dumplings filled with pork and rich broth.
African Chicken © Wikimedia Commons
Main course Meat

African Chicken

Galinha à Africana
gah-LEE-nya ah ah-free-KAH-nah

Spicy grilled chicken with a rich, peanut-based sauce.
Hong Kong Style Egg Tart © Wikimedia Commons
Dessert Vegetarian

Hong Kong Style Egg Tart

蛋撻
daan taht

A flaky pastry filled with soft, sweet egg custard.
Almond Cookies
Snack Vegetarian

Almond Cookies

Biscoitos de Amêndoa
bis-KOY-toosh deh ah-MEEN-doh-ah

Crisp, delicate cookies made with almonds and sugar, a beloved Macau treat.
Wonton Soup © Wikimedia Commons
Soup Fish & Seafood

Wonton Soup

云吞汤
woon tun tong

A delicately flavored soup with wonton dumplings, commonly filled with shrimp or pork.
Macau Style Portuguese Chicken © Wikimedia Commons
Main course Meat

Macau Style Portuguese Chicken

Galinha à Portuguesa
gah-LEEN-yah ah pohr-too-GEH-sah

A fusion dish with chicken, coconut milk, and potatoes in curry sauce.
Pineapple Bun © Wikimedia Commons
Snack Vegetarian

Pineapple Bun

菠蘿包
bo-law bao

A sweet bun that resembles a pineapple due to its crackly top.
All Asia recipes — China — Shanghai — Beggar's Chicken
keyboard_arrow_up