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China · Lotus-leaf wrapped chicken

Beggar's Chicken — Chinese Lotus-Leaf Wrapped Chicken

Beggar's Chicken (叫花鸡) is a celebrated Jiangnan dish traditionally wrapped in lotus leaves and clay before baking. This accessible home-oven adaptation uses lotus leaves and foil instead of clay to keep the chicken juicy and fragrant.

Chinese Beggars Chicken roasted whole and unwrapped from lotus leaves

AI-generated food image; recipe not independently kitchen-tested.

Prep: 45 minCook: approx. 2 hr 15 minServes: 4–6

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (1.4–1.8 kg), giblets removed
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp white pepper
  • 5 slices ginger
  • 4 scallions, cut into lengths
  • 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
  • 100 g bamboo shoots, sliced (optional)
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 large lotus leaves, softened in hot water (or parchment paper)
  • Heavy-duty aluminum foil for sealing
  • Optional: 100 g cooked Chinese ham or lap cheong, diced

How to make Beggar's Chicken

  1. Pat the chicken dry. Rub inside and out with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt and white pepper; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Mix ginger, scallions, shiitake, bamboo shoots, sesame oil and optional cooked Chinese ham. Stuff loosely into the chicken cavity; do not pack tightly.
  3. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Wrap the chicken completely in softened lotus leaves or parchment, then seal tightly with two layers of heavy-duty foil. Place on a rimmed baking tray.
  4. Roast for about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes, depending on chicken size, until a food thermometer reads at least 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part of the thigh and stuffing.
  5. Rest sealed for 15 minutes. Carefully open the foil away from your face to avoid steam burns, then unwrap the aromatic chicken and serve with rice.

Cooking notes

Check both the thickest part of the chicken and stuffing reach 165°F (74°C). Never use craft clay or garden soil around food. Parchment plus foil is a practical substitute if lotus leaves are unavailable.