Hainan · soup
Coconut Chicken Hot Pot
椰子鸡 · Yēzi Jī
Hainan-style hot pot with chicken cooked in fresh coconut water. Light, fragrant, naturally sweet.
Coconut chicken hot pot is a Hainan tradition that has spread across China since the 2010s. Fresh young coconuts are cracked open, the coconut water poured into a hot pot. Chunks of free-range Wenchang chicken (a Hainan-specific breed) are added and gently poached. The result is a delicate, slightly-sweet broth with the floral aroma of coconut. Eaten with a small dipping bowl of ginger, garlic, lime juice and chilli.
Where to try
Hainan: any restaurant on the island. Outside Hainan: the chain Yi Mian Coconut Chicken (椰子鸡) has standardised it nationally.
Dietary notes
Chicken, coconut. Generally non-spicy.
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