About two hours' drive east along Zigui County, the picturesque countryside comes into view like a picture scroll. This is Meijiahe, the hometown of chestnuts in Hubei Province. Due to abundant sunshine and rainfall, four distinct seasons, warm mountain breeze and simple soil gave birth to a local specialty food-chestnut roast chicken.
Because Meijiahe Township is located in the southwest corner of Zigui County, its native chicken has never undergone any hybridization and optimized breeding, and has always maintained the purity of the variety; Long-term feeding with natural foraging or coarse grains has the characteristics of strong nesting and disease resistance. In addition, most of them are scattered in forests or orchards to peck at mountain grass insects and drink forest streams, and there is no drug residue, which meets the requirements of environmental protection; After the growth of 1 year, the chicken tastes firm and tender, and the skin is crisp and elastic, with high nutritional value. Its cockscomb is bright red and huge, which looks like the Lama's "Pinellia ternata". The folk metaphor is "official hat chicken". Chestnut is known as the "king of dried fruits", which is not only rich in various nutrients and minerals, but also has medicinal value. Meijiahe River is known as the "hometown of chestnuts", with a long history of cultivating chestnuts, with an area of 1 1,000 mu. Chestnuts are unique in flavor, sweet and delicious, and resistant to storage. They are all well-known high-quality varieties in all directions. Native chicken and chestnut, originally incompatible with each other, have become delicious food for Zigui people.
According to legend, there is a custom in Zigui. Every time a girl gets married, her son-in-law comes to the door and her daughter goes back to her mother's house, a delicious chestnut roast chicken will be prepared at home to show parents' expectation for their son's early return. After Qu Yuan, a great patriotic poet, died in the Miluo River, people in his hometown prepared a "roasted chicken with chestnuts" every year to commemorate him, and also expressed the hope that Qu Zi would return to his hometown as soon as possible.
For dishes, select delicate chestnuts, shell them, cook them in a pot for 4 to 5 minutes, and drain the water. Golden rapeseed oil is not stir-fried with fresh chestnuts until fragrant, then seasonings such as chopped green onion and ginger slices are added in turn for stir-frying, and then fresh chicken pieces are poured for stir-frying. The freshness and tenderness of chestnuts harmonize the meat flavor of chicken, and the chicken absorbs the soft glutinous of chestnuts. When the chicken turns golden yellow, pour in water and stew for 20 minutes, then drain.
The most authentic official hat chicken, the most delicious chestnut, full of flavor, good color and fragrance. When you eat it, it will make your teeth and cheeks fragrant and unforgettable!