Guilin Gongcheng Youcha (Oil Tea) Chicken

Guilin Gongcheng Youcha (Oil Tea) Chicken is a wonderful fusion of "intangible cultural heritage cuisine" and nourishing ingredients, combining the national intangible cultural heritage "Gongcheng Youcha" with chicken to create a unique healthful delicacy. The process begins with making Youcha traditionally: frying tea leaves, ginger, and peanuts in an iron pot until fragrant, mashing them into a paste with a wooden pestle, boiling in water to make a deep yellow tea broth, and seasoning with salt and scallions after filtering out the dregs. Then, free-range chicken is cut into pieces, stir-fried in tea oil until golden, and stewed in the Youcha broth for 20 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the tea's aroma and ginger's spiciness. The finished dish has a clear yellow broth, tender and juicy chicken, with a strong tea fragrance, a slight bitterness that gives way to a sweet aftertaste, and the warmth of ginger spreading from the stomach—ideal for humid weather. Gongcheng Youcha Chicken is not just a dish but a cultural inheritance: gathering around the stove to make Youcha, cook chicken, and chat reflects Guilin people's warmth in "making friends through food." Foreign visitors are often surprised by the harmonious pairing of tea broth and chicken— the initial slight bitterness may catch them off guard, but the subsequent freshness, aroma, and warmth will make them want more bowls.