Giant legs of Vietnam’s ‘dragon chicken’ a Lunar New Year delicacy

The lumpy legs of the Dong Tao chicken — named after the commune where it is bred in northern Vietnam — are considered a delicacy, and are particularly popular among the wealthy during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, known as Tet.

Hien’s prized four-kilogramme bird, whose enormous legs make up around a fifth of its body weight, was sold for about $150 — but especially large pedigree chickens have been valued at more than 10 times that. Some are even entered into beauty contests.

The key to the bird’s taste is its diet of corn and rice and the freedom it has to roam, Hien told AFP.

Although the laying hens are kept in battery cages, which have been banned in some countries across the world, the chickens bred for meat are let loose in a small garden.

“The more the chicken walks, the stronger and bigger their muscles are,” said Hien, who has been breeding chickens for more than 15 years.

The meat of the Dong Tao chicken — which can reach up to 10 kg — is prized for its tough and chewy texture and is also low in fat.

It is sometimes served boiled, but also fried, stewed or served with lemongrass.

Le Van Luan, who picked Hien’s chicken meat as a year-end gift for his business partners and elderly relatives, is a regular customer in Dong Tao.

“The best part of the Dong Tao chicken is the skin of their legs. The bigger the legs are, the tastier,” he said.

On a farm close to Hanoi, Le Van Hien picks out the best bird among his flock of “dragon chickens” — a breed with legs as thick as a brick that can fetch up to $2,000 a head.

The lumpy legs of the Dong Tao chicken — named after the commune where it is bred in northern Vietnam — are considered a delicacy, and are particularly popular among the wealthy during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, known as Tet.

Hien’s prized four-kilogramme bird, whose enormous legs make up around a fifth of its body weight, was sold for about $150 — but especially large pedigree chickens have been valued at more than 10 times that. Some are even entered into beauty contests.

The key to the bird’s taste is its diet of corn and rice and the freedom it has to roam, Hien told AFP.

Although the laying hens are kept in battery cages, which have been banned in some countries across the world, the chickens bred for meat are let loose in a small garden.

“The more the chicken walks, the stronger and bigger their muscles are,” said Hien, who has been breeding chickens for more than 15 years.

The meat of the Dong Tao chicken — which can reach up to 10 kg — is prized for its tough and chewy texture and is also low in fat.

It is sometimes served boiled, but also fried, stewed or served with lemongrass.

Le Van Luan, who picked Hien’s chicken meat as a year-end gift for his business partners and elderly relatives, is a regular customer in Dong Tao.

“The best part of the Dong Tao chicken is the skin of their legs. The bigger the legs are, the tastier,” he said.

The post Giant legs of Vietnam’s ‘dragon chicken’ a Lunar New Year delicacy appeared first on Vietexplorer.com.

View more from VietExplorer:

Tré – A Unique Dish in Central Vietnam that Mesmerizes Food Lovers
Vietnam vs Australia World Cup 2022: Date and Time, Team News, Prediction, Watch Live
How To Make Baked Mooncakes At Home
Medical workers nationwide helping HCM City’s COVID-19 fight
More artists release music videos to help COVID-19 fight
Vietnam’s Top 10 Destinations for Photography
42nd General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly opens
Documentary ‘The Chosen Path’ pays tribute to the sacrifice of past generations for independence
A Delicacy of Hanoi: Nem Phung (Fermented Pork) With Cluster Fig Leaves
‘Cold Rice’ is Tik Tok’s Hot New Trend as Vietnam’s Lockdown Continues
Must-Try Da Lat Hotpots
Vietnamese Wife Rescues Pets in Australia
Enchanting fishing moments in central Vietnam
Ha Giang promotes beauty of Hoang Su Phi terraced fields online
Soccer-Canada stun U.S. to set up final with Sweden
Vietnamese Home Cooking Recipe: Lotus Seed Sweet Soup with Dried Longan
Fine arts joins hands with the community to fight the epidemic
Literary and artistic creation campaign on the fight against COVID-19 launched
Bird raiser roams Vietnam’s Mekong Delta to pursue passion
Footballs should be sold with health warning, says dementia expert