Search locations or food
OR
Sign up

What to eat in South Central China? Top 11 Central Southern Chinese Chicken Dishes

Last update: Tue Apr 15 2025
Top 11 Central Southern Chinese Chicken Dishes
VIEW MORE
01
Zhaziji
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

A traditional dish of the Cantonese cuisine, crispy fried chicken consists of chicken that is first steamed and dried, then deep-fried in a special way so that the skin remains extremely crunchy, and the meat underneath gets tender. The chicken is steamed with spices such as cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, ginger, anise, and nutmeg.


Later, it usually gets drizzled over with a combination of sugar and vinegar, helping the skin achieve its typical crispiness in the process. According to tradition, crispy fried chicken is a dish that should be eaten at night, while it is also regularly consumed at most Chinese wedding feasts. 

MOST ICONIC Zhaziji

View more
1
2
3
4
5
02

Fried Chicken Dish

HUNAN, China and  one more country
4.2
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Orange chicken is an American-Chinese dish that was invented as a variation on General Tso's chicken. The dish consists of battered chicken that is fried with sweet and sour orange and chili sauce. In the United States, a chain restaurant called Panda Express credits itself with the invention of the dish, evolving it into a meal that is much sweeter than the dish it was modeled after - the original tangy and spicy version from Hunan, where the subtropical climate with mild winters makes it ideal for growing oranges, tangerines, and lemons that are native to Asia.


Orange chicken is traditionally accompanied by steamed rice on the side.

MOST ICONIC Chen pi ji

1
03
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Soy sauce chicken is a traditional Cantonese dish and a classic example of red cooking technique, where meat is simmered in a soy sauce-based liquid along with various seasonings. It results in tender, succulent meat that falls off the bone.


Although most cooks use chicken quarters for the dish, some like to use smaller pieces such as legs, drumsticks, and wings. Soy sauce chicken made with chicken quarters is also a traditional dish for the Chinese New Year. It is recommended to pair the chicken with side dishes such as rice or stir-fried lo mein noodles, while the typical accompaniment is a dipping sauce made with oil, ginger, chicken stock, onions, and salt.

MOST ICONIC See yao gai

View more
1
2
3
4
5
04

Stir-fry

HUNAN, China and  one more country
4.1
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

General Tso’s chicken is a Chinese-American sweet and spicy dish consisting of chicken dices that are first deep-fried, then stir-fried together with ginger, garlic, scallions, and hot chili peppers in a sauce made from sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and rice wine.


Although named after General Tso Tsungtang, the dish has no real-life connection with him. The dish is most likely a descendant of a simple Hunanese chicken dish, and two immigrant chefs, Chinese and Taiwanese - respectively, claim to be its inventors. 
05
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Mut jup mun gai yik is a traditional dish originating from Guangzhou. The dish is usually made with a combination of chicken wings, soy sauce, honey, peanut oil, Shaoxing wine or sherry, garlic, and ginger. The chicken wings are stir-fried in peanut oil in a wok over high heat until browned.


A mixture of soy sauce, wine, garlic, ginger, and honey is added to the wok and the mixture is stirred until the wings are coated with the sauce. The dish is simmered over low heat until the wings are tender. Honey-soy braised chicken wings are typically served warm or at room temperature as an appetizer.

06
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Influenced by African and Portuguese cuisine, galinha à Africana is a chicken dish traditionally associated with Macau. It is made with barbecued chicken that is coated with a spicy sauce usually consisting of peanuts, coconut milk, paprika, grated coconut, and shallots.


Macau is a former Portuguese colony, and the story says that the dish was invented by Americo Angelo, a chef who assembled it by using ingredients that he found in Portuguese colonies in Africa. However, another theory says that the dish was initially made by Portuguese families located in Macau. 

MOST ICONIC Galinha à Africana

View more
1
2
3
4
07
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

White cut chicken (also known as Cantonese poached chicken) is a beloved traditional dish consumed during Chinese festivals and holidays, and especially on Chinese New Year. The dish consists of salted chicken that is cooked in water with chopped green onions, ginger, cooking wine, Sichuan peppercorns, and sesame oil.


When prepared, it is transferred to a bowl filled with ice water in order to chill. Once entirely chilled, the chicken is served whole or cut into large chunks, typically accompanied by ginger scallion sauce and chili sauce, used as dips. Traditionally, Chinese people poach and serve the whole chicken, with its head and feet attached. 
08
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Wenchang chicken is one of the most popular poultry dishes in China, specifically the Wenchang city area in Hainan. It is believed that the dish originated during the Ming Dynasty era, when an official from Wenchang had brought the chickens from his hometown and given them to the emperor as a gift.


When the emperor tried the dish made with his chickens, he liked it so much that he named the dish Wenchang chicken. Chickens are usually fed on a diet of coconut and peanut bran, resulting in flavorful, aromatic meat. The dish is usually consumed by dipping chicken pieces in a combination of spices such as ginger and salt. 
VARIATIONS OF Wenchang ji

MOST ICONIC Wenchang ji

1
2
09

Chicken Dish

HONG KONG, China and  one more region
3.5
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Swiss wings is a dish with origins disputed between Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China. The dish consists of chicken wings that are similar to soy-sauce chicken wings, only with a sweeter sauce. The wings are usually marinated in a combination of sugar, soy sauce, Chinese wine, and spices such as star anise, garlic, and ginger.


The gleaming sauce clings to the chicken wings, which are poached, then slowly simmered in the sauce until it's reduced to a thick and glossy consistency.

10
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Galinha à Portuguesa is a dish consisting of chicken thighs and potatoes served in a mild curry sauce. Although its other name, Portuguese-style chicken might suggest otherwise, this succulent chicken dish was in fact invented in Macau.


Since this Asian peninsula was under Portuguese governance for over five centuries, many Macanese dishes were influenced by Portuguese cuisine. Portuguese-style chicken is a true fusion dish which combines typical Mediterranean flavors with Asian ingredients such as coconut milk and turmeric. 

MOST ICONIC Galinha à Portuguesa

1
2
11
Fried Chicken Dish
HONG KONG, China  and  one more region
n/a

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

Show Map
Central Southern Chinese Chicken Dishes