Dong Tao chicken, or dragon chicken, is a rare poultry breed with huge red feet that look like beer cans. It comes from Dong Tao, a village 30 kms (18 miles) southeast of Hanoi, and has been a traditional delicacy in Vietnam for generations, especially during the Lunar New Year holiday.
These chickens can weigh up to six kg (13 pounds) when fully grown and were once only eaten by the royal family. People believe that owning them brings good luck and wealth.
As one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies, Vietnam has more rich people who want to buy Dong Tao chicken, which has a crunchy texture, a strong fragrance and a delicious flavour. The price of a mature dragon chicken from Dong Tao village can reach 5 million dong ($205.38) or even 10 million dong, according to Le Trong Dung, a chicken farmer in the village.
Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung, another chicken farmer, said the legs are the most prized part of the chicken, holding a two-year-old rooster.
Loc Duc Toan, a 25-year-old chef in Hanoi, said the best age for a Dong Tao chicken is 13 to 15 months, and the best way to cook it is to steam it.
“The skin will be crispy and the meat will be sweeter than other normal chicken, with its own unique aroma,” Toan said.
The chicken are also bred outside the village, making them more accessible to customers, but Phan Van Hieu, a local agriculture official, said the ones from the village that are fed only with paddy rice and corn taste the best.
“Supply still falls short of demand,” Hieu said. “You won’t see any Dong Tao chicken at KFC anytime soon.”