Explainer / What is ‘three-yellow’ chicken, and why are Michelin-starred chefs going crazy for it? Elite Hong Kong restaurants are now proudly serving up locally raised birds – even for Western roast dinners
- ‘Three-yellow’ birds – with yellow beaks, skin and feet – from Ping Yuen Chicken are different to French Bresse birds, older and with more fat under the skin
- Lee Adams at Skye, at The Park Lane Hong Kong, and Aven Lau, at Bâtard, are two top chefs who have turned to local poultry – but what makes it so special?
If there’s one food item that transcends all cultures and signifies a special occasion, it has to be a whole chicken. For good luck, there must be one at the table for every Chinese family festival, a bird is the star of any rotisserie and, of course, there’s the humble Sunday roast.
In a recent evolution of Hong Kong cuisine, chefs in Michelin-starred restaurants have started using locally raised “three-yellow” chickens in their dishes. The name points to the breed’s yellow beaks, skin and feet.
The animal is slaughtered when it’s a bit older, lending more flavour to the meat, but it’s most distinguished by its thick layer of fat under the skin and marbling in the meat. The higher fat content gives a succulent and tender texture when cooked whole, especially when it’s deep fried or baked.
“There has been an ongoing trend of roasted chicken in Hong Kong in the past 24 months,” says Aven Lau, chef de cuisine of Bâtard. “The reason why our chicken is well received by the public is that we use local chicken, where the meat is super tender, and it sits on seasoned pilaf rice which soaks up all the flavour and jus from the chicken.
“We noticed that Hong Kong guests definitely enjoy our chicken rice and this is a wonderful dish to share with friends and family over some wines from The Fine Wine Experience,” he adds, referring to the retail space that incorporates Bâtard.
The latest restaurant to join the trend is Skye, at The Park Lane Hong Kong – A Pullman Hotel, which recently launched a new menu featuring local roast chicken. Many chefs of Western cuisine were trained overseas and tend to import ingredients they’re familiar with to guarantee the flavour and quality they desire.
“We used to use baby spring chicken from France for its flavour and size, but then we started to notice the trend to use local produce in the last two years,” says Lee Adams, chef de cuisine at Skye. “It could be the disruption in logistics due to Covid, but I think it was just realising what Hong Kong has to offer. Instead of using luxurious imported ingredients, we can take something humble and make something amazing with it.”
“We were approached by the people at Ping Yuen Chicken who farm three-yellow chickens by the Ping Yuen River. I love the layer of fat that it has underneath the skin – it helps to keep the meat moist when you roast it. It has a beautiful yellow colour. The flavour is amazing.
“The chicken is delivered fresh every single day and the flavour is amazing,” continues Adams. “Being a Brit, one of my favourite tastes and smells is roast chicken from Sunday roasts growing up. The aroma is incredible. Whenever we bring it out, all the guests’ heads turn.”
