Chinese Boiled Chicken Breast Recipes

FOOLPROOF POACHED CHICKEN WITH GINGER SHALLOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Take chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
• Fill a saucepan with water so the chicken breast will be well submerged with at least 2" / 5cm of water above it.
• Bring water to boil. Place chicken breast in water, place lid on, bring back up to the boil. Remove saucepan from stove and set aside for 20 minutes (it's fine up to 45 min, won't overcook).
• Remove chicken from water and slice. Serve with Sauces (below) and rice.
• Combine and mix ingredients in a bowl. Set side for 20 minutes. It will sweat and become more liquidy.
• Mix ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes.

CHINESE COLD BOILED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season the thighs generously with salt and pepper. Put them in a pot and barely cover with cold water. Add the ginger, garlic, star anise and the two whole scallions. Bring to a gentle boil and skim any rising foam. Turn the heat to very low, cover, and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour.
• Transfer the thighs to a bowl to cool. Skim the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Over high heat, reduce the liquid by half, about 10 minutes, then strain it over the thighs. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
• To serve, arrange the chicken on a platter, leaving some of the jellied broth clinging to the thighs. (Alternatively, the skin may be removed and discarded, and the meat pulled from the bone and shredded.) Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with slivered scallions, cilantro and, if you like, jalapeño slices. Drizzle with sesame oil and surround with lime wedges.

BOILED CHICKEN, CHINESE STYLE

Steps:

• Fill a large kettle with water, and bring to a boil. (An 8 quart pot two-thirds filled with water works great for a 2 1/2 - 3 pound bird). When the water boils, place the whole cleaned chicken into it. When the water stops boiling, take the chicken out. Cover the pot, and when the water again boils, place the chicken back in the pot. Cover the pot, and turn off the heat. Leave the chicken in the pot and the pot on the burner. After 1 hour the chicken is done. Remove and cool.
• You can debone this chicken in very little time. If you are on a low-salt/low-fat diet, be sure to remove the skin. Save the juices that flow from the bird when deboning because this liquid contains a great deal of natural gelatin and will help keep the bird moist if you should decide to store the meat in the refridgerator. The chicken is ready to serve or use.

VELVETING CHICKEN BREAST, CHINESE RESTAURANT-STYLE

Steps:

• Whisk egg white, vinegar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl until marinade is smooth. Add chicken; cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• Bring water and oil to a boil in a pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium.
• Pour excess marinade off the chicken. Add chicken to the pot; boil until white on the outside but still raw in the middle, about 1 minute. Strain off excess liquid.
• Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container until ready to use, up to a few hours. Heat until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

ASIAN-STYLE POACHED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place the green onion, brown onion, chiles, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar and water in a large saucepan over high heat. Stir to combine and bring to the boil.
• Add the chicken, breast-side down. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid and allow to stand for 1 hour.
• Remove the chicken from the stock and allow to cool slightly. Shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones, and set aside.
• Strain the stock into a large heatproof bowl, discarding the solids. Allow to cool. Skim any excess fat from the surface.