At the table
Pull off a small portion onto your plate and separate the meat from bones before eating. Ask “请帮我拆骨” (“Please help remove the bones”) if you need help; check for small bones and cartilage yourself.
Contains chicken, peanut oil, soy sauce and maltose syrup in this version. Small bones and cartilage can remain even when the meat pulls apart easily. Ask about allergens and the actual spice and coating ingredients.
This version uses a maltose-syrup coating, peanut oil and a ground-spice sachet including caodoukou (草蔻). It has no chilli; spice blends and sweet coatings vary by maker.
For children already able to chew meat, the tender chicken in this no-chilli version can be an option after an adult removes bones, cartilage and spice pieces and lets it cool. Check peanut oil and soy sauce before choosing it.
Recipes vary. Ask the restaurant about ingredients and serving before you order.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Young chicken can be cooked with a spice mixture.
Typical ingredients
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Savory and spiced
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Tender meat.
- How it’s made
- The shaped bird is coated with diluted maltose syrup, fried in peanut oil, then gently braised with soy sauce, ginger, koumo mushrooms and ground spices.
Young chicken can be cooked with a spice mixture.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Shandong.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有德州扒鸡吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
Golden skin before a slow braise
This account describes a tradition or story, rather than an established historical fact.
The compactly folded whole bird is part of Dezhou’s braised-chicken craft. A sweet coating and frying give the skin its golden-red colour before gentle braising makes the meat tender. The making technique was added to China’s national intangible cultural heritage list in 2014.