Giant Chinese Chicken Chain Gears Up for San Diego Expansion

A global chain, with over 6,000 locations across China, Japan, Singapore, and Australia is getting closer to coming to San Diego. Last fall, Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice opened its first U.S. outpost in Tustin, CA. At the time, the company told Eater that San Diego would be part of its expansion plans.

The eatery’s empire is built around one single dish, huang men chicken, that is a speciality of the eastern Shandong province of China. Based on an original recipe from founder Xiao Lu Yang’s grandmother, it features chicken thighs braised in individual clay pots along with a secret sauce, ginger, mushrooms, and peppers. Yang’s offers three versions of the dish — mild, medium or spicy — and the $9.99 price tag includes unlimited sides of rice.

Yang’s is opening three more locations in Orange County by the end of the year, and Eriko Zhao, VP of Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice, says the company is focusing next on the San Diego market. They’re currently evaluating franchise applicants, with the goal of opening a minimum of two branches in the San Diego area as soon as possible. Zhao says they’ve toured several possible neighborhood, including the Gaslamp and La Jolla Village.