Main · Brined & smoked

Goubangzi Smoked Chicken

📷 Closely related photo — Photo via Pexels/Unsplash — free for commercial use

The recipe is said to have reached its creator through a chance meeting with an imperial chef — a secret royal smoking technique passed to an ordinary vendor.

A whole chicken is brined, boiled, and then smoked over a fire until the skin turns deep amber and the meat takes on a smoky aroma, served cold and sliced.

Why it's made this way: Local legend credits the recipe to founder Yin Yucheng, who received the technique from the Qing emperor's chef in 1889.