CantoneseMedium 120 min serves 4

Rose-Infused Soy-Braised Chicken

Name: Rose-Infused Soy-Braised Chicken
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: whole chicken (about 1.2 kg), cut into serving pieces; dark soy sauce; dried food-grade rose buds; garlic; scallions

玫瑰豉油鸡 · méi guī chǐ yóu jī

家庭快手版 · Home version: A Foshan grandmother’s secret: rose petal-infused soy braising liquid, not heavy oil or MSG. She used dried roses from her courtyard, but food-grade dried rose buds work perfectly in Western kitchens.

My great-aunt in Foshan’s Chencun Town kept a rose arbor beside her clay-brick stove. Every spring, she’d pluck petals at dawn, dry them in bamboo trays, and steep them in aged soy sauce for weeks. When I visited at 12, she served this chicken chilled—sliced thin, drizzled with rose oil—and said, 'Taste the garden, not the wok.'

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More chicken recipes →Quick & Easy

Ingredients

whole chicken (about 1.2 kg), cut into serving pieces整鸡（约1.2公斤），斩件🛒 local1200 g
dark soy sauce老抽🏮 asian45 ml
dried food-grade rose buds食用干玫瑰花蕾🏮 asian5 g
garlic大蒜🛒 local25 g
scallions小葱🛒 local50 g

whole chicken (about 1.2 kg), cut into serving pieces: Use free-range or air-chilled chicken for best texture and flavor.

dried food-grade rose buds: Find in Asian grocery or online; do NOT use perfume-grade roses.

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Instructions

1Rinse chicken pieces and soak in cold salted water (10 g salt per 500 ml water) for 30 minutes to draw out blood and improve tenderness.
盐水浸泡去腥
2In a deep pot, combine dark soy sauce, rose buds, garlic, scallions, and 1 L water. Bring to gentle simmer over medium heat.
玫瑰需同煮释放香气
3Add chicken pieces, skin-side down. Bring liquid back to a bare simmer (small bubbles barely breaking surface), then reduce heat to lowest setting. Cover and braise 45 minutes.
全程微沸不翻滚
4Turn off heat. Let chicken cool fully in braising liquid—minimum 1 hour, ideally 2 hours—for deep flavor absorption.
冷卤更入味
5Remove chicken and strain liquid through cheesecloth into a clean bowl. Discard solids. Skim fat, then reduce strained liquid over medium-high heat until syrupy (about 8 minutes). Cool slightly, then pour over sliced chicken.
滤渣收汁更清亮
🔍 Look for Medium-high 8 分钟 · 8 minutes
Visual: 卤汁挂勺，滴落呈缓慢丝带状Liquid coats the back of a spoon and leaves a slow, ribbon-like trail
You know it's right when: 气泡变大变慢；花香与咸鲜味愈发融合Surface bubbles become larger and slower; aroma intensifies with floral-savory balance

Tips

· For authentic texture, serve chilled—not room temperature—to highlight the clean, floral soy contrast.
· Save leftover rose-infused soy liquid: freeze in ice cube trays for future braises or noodle soups.
· If using fresh rose petals, double the amount and add only in last 5 minutes of simmering to preserve fragrance.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?

Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.

Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library