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

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. Hong Kong’s 6 hardest restaurant tables to book right now 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.” The use of local chicken in a Western roast might become the next quintessential Hong Kong dish. “The local chicken is definitely different from the chicken you get from any other country – they all have their own qualities according to how the farmers bred and fed them,” says Lau. “Bresse chicken from France is very different from the one we source locally.” Working with such fresh poultry means handling it with special care. “We do need to make sure that the chicken is rested properly,” adds Adams. “With chicken this fresh, there could still be a lot of blood in the animal’s bones. After we roast it twice, we let it sit for about 15 minutes, and just before serving we blast it in the charcoal oven again to get that lovely crispy skin and colour.” 3 hot new dining experiences in Hong Kong – from gin pairings to ‘bistronomie’ Chef Adams’ tips for making the perfect roast yellow chicken at home 1. Get the freshest yellow chicken you can, either from a delivery service or the farm itself. Cook it the same day. 2. Add just salt, pepper and olive oil. 3. Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes after roasting. 4. Return to the oven on high heat to get a final browning and additional crispness. Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.