Baked Chicken in Yellow Clay
A classic dish from Jiangnan, where a whole chicken is wrapped in yellow clay and slow-baked, blending earthy fragrance with tender meat, releasing an irresistible aroma when cracked open.
Ingredients
13 items- Whole chicken 1 (about 1.5 kg)
- Dried lotus leaves 2 sheets
- Yellow clay 1 kg
- Ginger 1 small piece
- Scallions 2
- Light soy sauce 3 tablespoons
- Dark soy sauce 1 tablespoon
- Shaoxing wine 2 tablespoons
- Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon
- Sugar 1 teaspoon
- Five-spice powder ½ teaspoon
- Salt 1 teaspoon
- Aluminum foil as needed
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
Clean the chicken inside and out, pat dry with paper towels. In a bowl, combine light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, and salt; stir to make a marinade.
Rub the marinade all over the chicken, massaging it in. Stuff the cavity with ginger slices and scallion sections. Place in a bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, turning once.
Soak dried lotus leaves in warm water until soft (about 10 minutes); drain and pat dry. Mix yellow clay with water to form a smooth, firm paste.
Remove chicken from marinade. Truss legs and wings with kitchen twine. Wrap tightly with lotus leaves, then wrap with two layers of aluminum foil, sealing edges well.
Moisten hands, spread clay evenly over the foil about 2 cm thick; smooth the surface. Poke a few holes with a toothpick to prevent bursting.
Place in a preheated oven at 200°C (middle rack). Bake 30 minutes, then reduce to 180°C and bake another 40 minutes, until the clay shell is hard and shows cracks.
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Gently tap the clay shell with a mallet to crack it open, then carefully peel off foil and lotus leaves to reveal the whole chicken.
Tear the chicken into serving pieces and arrange on a plate. Serve with optional salt-pepper mix or chili sauce.
Tips
Use clean, impurity-free clay; if the clay cracks too early during baking, lower the temperature slightly; crack open carefully to avoid mixing clay with chicken.
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