Quang Ninh is a land blessed with sea, forests, hills, mountains, and fertile plains. As a result, it boasts a rich culinary heritage with many delectable specialties. Tien Yen chicken hotpot cooked with fermented rice wine is one such culinary gem!
Head to Quang Ninh to savor delicious and nourishing Tien Yen chicken hotpot cooked with fermented rice wine
When mentioning Quang Ninh cuisine, besides fresh seafood, Tien Yen chicken is also a celebrated specialty immortalized in the local proverb: “Mong Cai pigs – Dam Ha girls – Tien Yen chickens”.
Tien Yen is located about 70km from Ha Long City. The district's terrain is primarily hilly and mountainous, making it ideal for free-range poultry and livestock farming. Therefore, Tien Yen chicken is famous far and wide as a specialty carrying the unique flavor of this region.
Tien Yen chicken, a native hill chicken breed. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Tien Yen chicken belongs to a local breed of bearded hill chicken; hens feature a distinctive tuft of long feathers beneath their beaks. A rustic, healthy, and nature-friendly rearing method is the secret to producing exceptionally firm chicken meat.
Characteristics of the Tien Yen chicken breed. Photo: Dan Toc Newspaper.
Locals in Tien Yen raise free-range chickens that roam freely across the land, hunting for ants, termites, and crickets. Consequently, the meat is naturally fragrant and sweet, low in fat, with thick, golden, and crispy skin.
Tien Yen chicken can be prepared into a variety of dishes, such as boiled chicken, salt-steamed chicken, grilled chicken, chicken soup with ginger wine, or herbal chicken stew... and one must not overlook Tien Yen chicken hotpot cooked with fermented rice wine, a dish that feels familiar yet offers an exciting, novel taste.
Boiled Tien Yen chicken with crispy golden skin and sweet meat. Illustrative photo: Van Hoa Newspaper.
The ingredients for this dish are all familiar: fermented rice wine dregs, ginger, dried shallots, shiitake mushrooms, chili... Seasonings include satay sauce, pork marrow bones for simmering broth, seasoning powder, and sugar. In addition, hotpot accompaniments include greens such as scallions, cordyceps mushrooms, water spinach, napa cabbage, culantro...
The exquisite flavor of the hotpot lies in the bowl of fermented glutinous rice made from yellow flower sticky rice, similar to the fermented sweet rice traditionally enjoyed during the Doan Ngo Festival on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
Eye-catching boiled chicken meat. Illustrative photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Tien Yen chicken is cleaned and chopped into bite-sized pieces. Dried shallots and ginger are finely sliced. Shiitake mushrooms are cut in half. Then, the chicken is marinated with half a bowl of fermented rice wine, shallots, ginger, seasoning powder, and sugar for approximately 30 minutes.
Roasted Tien Yen chicken. Illustrative photo: Van Hoa Newspaper.
While waiting for the chicken to absorb the seasonings, the hotpot broth is prepared. The broth is simmered from pork marrow bones, infused with a small cup of fermented rice wine broth, the remaining half bowl of fermented rice, and seasoning powder.
When the hotpot broth reaches a rolling boil, the marinated chicken, shiitake mushrooms, and cordyceps mushrooms are added, ready to savor after just a few minutes. Upon completion, the hotpot pot takes on an alluring golden color from the cordyceps mushrooms.
Hotpot ingredients. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
With Tien Yen chicken hotpot cooked with fermented rice wine, it pairs perfectly with a dipping sauce mixed from soy sauce, sesame oil, and various spices to elevate the dish's irresistible taste.
The broth is rich and fragrant with the aroma of fermented glutinous rice, offering a deeply savory sweetness with a gentle spicy tingle on the tongue. The chicken meat is firm with crispy skin, becoming even more enticing when dipped in the sauce. In addition to being delicious, this hotpot is highly nourishing—especially suitable for postpartum women or those suffering from a cold, sneezing, and runny nose; enjoying a bowl of hot broth relieves bodily fatigue and revitalizes energy.
An appealing golden hotpot dish. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Tien Yen chicken hotpot with sour bamboo shoots. Illustrative photo: nhahangquatram.
Tien Yen chicken hotpot cooked with fermented rice wine is prepared from the renowned chicken of this mountainous district in Quang Ninh Province, tempting food lovers from all corners. Follow more insightful articles from the iVIVU blog for a wonderful vacation!
