Shandong Chicken (You Lin Ji)
Crisp-skinned chicken thighs, fried and sliced, then drenched in a sharp, garlicky dressing of soy, black vinegar, sugar and chili. Bright, tangy and impossible to stop eating.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Season the chicken
Flatten the thighs with your hand or a rolling pin so they are the same thickness all over. Rub them with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt and white pepper, then let them sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
✅ Done when: chicken is evenly coated and has rested the full 15 minutes
Mix the dressing
In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, chilies, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and water until the sugar fully dissolves. Stir in half of the chopped coriander.
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 red chilies
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp black vinegar
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp water
- half the bunch coriander
✅ Done when: sugar is dissolved and the dressing looks glossy
Coat and fry
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Make the skin crispy
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Slice and dress
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Season the chicken
Flatten the thighs with your hand or a rolling pin so they are the same thickness all over. Rub them with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt and white pepper, then let them sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
✅ Done when: chicken is evenly coated and has rested the full 15 minutes
Mix the dressing
In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, chilies, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and water until the sugar fully dissolves. Stir in half of the chopped coriander.
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 red chilies
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp black vinegar
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp water
- half the bunch coriander
✅ Done when: sugar is dissolved and the dressing looks glossy
Coat and fry
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Make the skin crispy
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Slice and dress
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The Story Behind the Dish
Shandong (Lu) cuisine is the oldest of China's eight great culinary traditions and long shaped imperial cooking in Beijing. You lin ji — 'oil-drenched chicken' — originally described a whole chicken basted with hot oil until its skin crackled.
The modern restaurant version, with boneless fried chicken and a vinegar-garlic sauce, became a favourite in Taiwan and Chinese restaurants worldwide.
⭐ Why It's Famous
The sharp, sweet-sour dressing cuts through the crisp, rich chicken perfectly — it tastes lighter than any fried dish has a right to.
💡 Fun Fact
Shandong cooks are famous for their use of vinegar and scallions, and many classic Beijing dishes were actually created by chefs from Shandong.
Shandong Province
36.65°N, 117.12°E
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