Recipes By Chris Buckley

NYT Cooking

San Hua Kao Ji, Three-Flower Roast Chicken

This dish is similar to the classic Sichuan tea-smoked duck, which uses Sichuan peppercorn in a gentler way than that usually associated with the cuisine. With very lightly dressed greens, it makes a light summer meal. As a Chinese meal, it is served as a warm or room temperature starter and would pair well with stir-fried greens and plain steamed rice. The chicken has a wonderful delicate texture, thanks to the Chinese poaching technique, which keeps the meat silky and moist.