Red Rice Wine Lees Chicken 红糟鸡
Red Rice Wine Lees Chicken is featured among the local specialties of Taiwan.
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Red Rice Wine Lees Chicken (红糟鸡) is a Matsu (馬祖) dish seasoned with red lees. A county cultural record documents a soup version with ginger, peanut oil and local old wine.
How it is made
In the recorded soup recipe, chicken pieces are washed and blanched. Ginger slices are browned in peanut oil, then stir-fried with the lees. Chicken and old wine follow before water is added. The pot is brought to a boil and simmered until the chicken is very tender. Fine noodles can also be cooked in the soup.
The Nangan (南竿) township food account records a crisp chicken version: boneless chicken legs are marinated in red lees, steamed until cooked, coated with sweet-potato starch and fried until golden and crisp.
How it is eaten
The cultural record places the soup within Matsu’s traditional meals after childbirth. The township’s fried version is sliced and arranged with seasoned cabbage and carrot.
Sources & reading
Written from the linked sources and fact-checked against them on 2026-09-30. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.