Weird Chinese Food › Daring Dishes
Beggar's Chicken
叫花鸡 · jiàohuā jī
Bravery rating: 🌶️ Easy
A whole stuffed chicken wrapped in lotus leaves and clay, then baked for hours. It is not weird at all, but it does come with a great legend.
On this page: What is beggar's chicken? · Where in China is it eaten? · How it is made and eaten · What does it taste like? · History and culture · Is it safe? Who should avoid it? · Where to try it in China · How to order it · How much does it cost? · Video · FAQ · Sources
What is beggar's chicken?
Beggar's chicken is a stuffed chicken wrapped in lotus leaves and clay, then baked slowly at low heat.[1] Banana or bamboo leaves can replace the lotus leaves.[1] One portion can take up to six hours to prepare.[1]
Where in China is it eaten?
Many regions claim it, but most experts agree it originated in Hangzhou.[1] Changshu also has a legend connecting it to the dish.[1]
How it is made and eaten
What does it taste like?
In the legend, the beggar found the meat tender and aromatic when he cracked open the clay.[1] We have not tasted a verified version ourselves yet.
History and culture
Cooking food slowly in clay is thousands of years old.[1] The best-known legend says a beggar stole a chicken but had no pot. He wrapped it in lotus leaves and clay and buried it in a fire pit.[1] In other versions he stole the bird from the emperor, or the emperor enjoyed the dish so much that he added it to the imperial menu.[1] Another story links it to Qian Qianyi in Changshu at the end of the Ming dynasty.[1]
Is it safe? Who should avoid it?
If you cook it yourself in clay, too much heat can crack the clay shell dangerously because of pressure build-up.[1] Use non-toxic clay, or bake it in dough.[1]
Where to try it in China
Hangzhou, its most widely accepted birthplace.[1]
How to order it
Beggar's chicken is jiàohuā jī (叫花鸡). It takes up to six hours to prepare.[1] Because of that, you may need to order ahead.
叫花鸡要等多久？
Jiàohuā jī yào děng duōjiǔ?
How long is the wait for the beggar's chicken?
How much does it cost?
We have not verified a price, so we are not quoting one.
🎥 Watch us find it
We have not published verified footage of beggar's chicken yet. See all our China street-food videos.
▶ Subscribe on YouTube: Aqiang Eats China
FAQ
Why is it called beggar's chicken?
A legend says a beggar with no pot wrapped a stolen chicken in leaves and clay and cooked it in a fire pit.
Where is beggar's chicken from?
Most experts agree it originated in Hangzhou.
Is it really cooked in clay?
Traditionally, yes. Today dough, oven bags or ceramic pots are often used instead.
How long does it take?
Up to six hours for one portion.
Is beggar's chicken a weird food?
Not really. It is a whole baked chicken. The unusual part is the clay-wrapping method.
Sources
Numbers like [1] in the text point to these sources. "[our video]" means we saw it in our own Aqiang Eats China footage.
- Wikipedia: Beggar's chicken
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beggar%27s_chicken