Cold Poached Chicken With Ginger Scallion Oil Recipes

CANTONESE POACHED CHICKEN (BAI QIE JI)

Steps:

• Make sure your chicken is at room temperature (trying to poach a cold chicken right out of the refrigerator will result in uneven cooking or undercooking). Clean the chicken by rinsing it under cold water, paying special attention to the cavity. Any giblets should already be removed but there may still be organs on the inside that should be removed or sometimes stray feathers that need to be plucked. Experts recommend that it's not necessary to wash your chicken before cutting and cooking but in this case for a whole chicken (especially if you get it from a live poultry place or even from Asian markets), it's a step that shouldn't be skipped, in my opinion. When washing and prepping the whole chicken, be very careful about splashing water and contaminating surfaces with unwanted bacteria. Be careful not to break or trim away any of the skin on the chicken, as you don't want the meat exposed to the boiling water as it cooks. This will ensure a moist, silky texture in the final product.
• Fill a large stock pot with water, just enough to submerge the chicken completely. You can determine this by putting the entire chicken in the pot, filling it with water until the chicken is submerged, and then removing the chicken. Do not turn on the heat while the chicken is still in the pot! This method of ensuring you have just enough water to submerge the chicken (and avoiding any extra) will ensure you have a more flavorful stock to save at the end. We used about 18 cups of water to submerge a 4 pound chicken in a deep stock pot.
• Once you have your water properly measured into the pot, add 2 scallions and 5 slices of ginger, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, slowly lower the chicken into the pot, legs down and head up. It's ok if the breast is peeking out of the water a bit. The water will cool down and stop boiling when you add the chicken, so bring it up to a boil once again, and do not walk away from the pot.
• Once the water boils again, IMMEDIATELY lift the chicken out of the water very carefully. You can carefully hook two wooden spoons under the wings to lift the chicken up. The goal is to empty any colder water that may be trapped inside the cavity. Once you've released that water, lower the chicken back into the pot, and bring to a boil again.
• When the water is JUST starting to boil, turn the heat down. Keep it at barely a simmer. There should be very little movement in the water, but it also shouldn't be still. Cover the pot, and keep the heat around the lowest setting so the liquid continues to simmer slowly. Cook for about 35-40 minutes, roughly 10-11 minutes per pound. Depending on the size of your chicken, it may take more or less time to cook it through. You can check to make sure the water is bubbling slowly/gently and not boiling too vigorously, but try to avoid uncovering the pot while it's cooking.
• Poke a chopstick or skewer into the thigh to check for doneness. If the juices run clear, it's done. Carefully lift the chicken out of the pot and transfer it to a large bowl of ice water. Cool completely.
• While the chicken is cooling, make the sauce. You have the option to make two versions-one with just scallions, ginger, oil and salt, and one with soy sauce. The plain version is more traditional, as it really lets the flavors of chicken, ginger, and scallion shine through. Judy loves to add soy sauce, and it's also a tasty option! Start with the plain version, and then scoop some of it out into another bowl and add soy sauce. Try both and see which your loved ones like best!
• When the chicken is out of the ice water, you can brush it lightly with oil or some of the fat floating atop the poaching liquid to give it that enticing, shiny look!
• To serve, carve your chicken into pieces that you can easily grab with chopsticks. Serve with your sauce(s) and some steamed rice.

GINGER-SCALLION CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut the scallions in quarters lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-long pieces. You should end up with thin blades of scallions. Separate out the dark green tops from the pale green and white parts. (You don't have to be very thorough; some mixing of colors is fine.)
• Heat oil in a wok or 12-inch skillet over very high heat. When it's shimmering but not smoking, stir in chicken and salt. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until chicken is barely cooked and no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken onto a serving plate, leaving the oil in the pan. Immediately scatter cilantro and scallion greens (not whites) over hot chicken.
• Return wok to medium-high heat. Make sure there are at least 2 tablespoons oil in the wok. If not, add more oil. Stir in ginger and cook until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in scallion whites, soy sauce and sugar, and cook for another 30 seconds (if using a skillet, remove from heat). Immediately spoon the contents of the pan evenly over chicken and herbs. Serve right away.

POACHED-CHICKEN CUPS WITH GINGER-SCALLION OIL

Steps:

• Combine chicken, 4 cups water, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon ginger, scallion tops, and chopped carrot in a medium saucepan (if chicken is not entirely covered, add more water). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and partially cover; simmer until a thermometer inserted in thickest parts of chicken (without touching bones) reaches 165 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove chicken; let cool slightly. Remove meat from bones; shred into large pieces (discard skin and bones).
• Meanwhile, combine sliced scallions, remaining 3 tablespoons ginger, and oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss half of scallion sauce with chicken; season with salt and pepper. Toss carrot ribbons with vinegar. Just before serving, place chicken in lettuce cups; top with peanuts, cilantro, carrots, and remainingscallion sauce.

WHITE CUT CHICKEN WITH GINGER SCALLION SAUCE (白切鸡姜葱酱)

Steps:

• Set the stove to high heat and start boiling a generous amount of water in the pot you'll be using.
• Wait for the water to come to a boil.
• While we wait for the chicken to cook, we'll start on our sauce by mincing our green onions and ginger​.
• We'll heat up our wok on high heat and add corn oil.
• We'll add salt and sesame oil to the bowl, and mix for 30-60 seconds.
• Grab a big bowl and dump a few handfuls of ice into it. Fill it roughly halfway with cold water.
• Once the time draws near, we can uncover the pot. Poke the thickest part of the chicken (around the thigh) deeply with a chopstick.
• Carefully take two chopsticks under the chicken wings, and lift it over the pot.
• This could honestly be its own blog post, but for now it will live in a very detailed step in this recipe.

COLD POACHED CHICKEN WITH GINGER SCALLION OIL

Steps:

• Poached chicken:
• In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan bring water to a boil with gingerroot; Scotch or Sherry, and salt to taste. Add chicken and simmer, covered, 12 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer chicken with tongs to a bowl and chill, covered, 20 minutes.
• Make ginger scallion oil while chicken is cooling:
• In a small bowl stir together ginger scallion oil ingredients.
• Halve chicken lengthwise and cut across grain into thin slices. Stir oil and spoon over chicken.

BAI QIE JI (WHITE CUT CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Bring 4 quarts of cold water to a boil in a 7-quart Dutch oven. Add the salt, ginger and scallion. Slowly lower the chicken into the boiling water with the breast side up. Bring the water back up to a gentle boil. Carefully lift the chicken out using the handles of 2 wooden spoons or 2 pairs of chopsticks positioned under the wings, being careful not to tear the skin, so that all the water drains from the cavity; do not use tongs to lift the chicken as they can easily tear the skin. This step allows for any cold water still in the cavity to drain and ensures even cooking, inside and out. Lower the chicken back into the water. Bring the water back up to a boil and reduce the heat to low for a gentle simmer. Cook, covered, until the juices run clear when cut in between the leg and thigh, 33 to 35 minutes. Right before the chicken is done, prepare a large bowl of ice water.
• Transfer the chicken to the bowl of ice water breast-side down and let cool, flipping halfway through, for about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken, letting the excess water drip off. (Submerging the chicken in an ice bath, not only stops the cooking so that it doesn't overcook, but also helps to firm the meat and gives the skin a crispness that couldn't be achieved otherwise.)
• Carve the chicken using a meat cleaver or large heavy chef's knife: start by detaching both leg quarters (leg and thigh together) from the body. Chop the leg quarters into roughly 3/4-inch pieces. Place the leg pieces in the lower half of the plate. Cut off the wings and drumettes and place right above the leg pieces. Cut the breastbone in half and remove the spine. Chop the breast into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces starting at the tapered end; transfer the breast pieces to the plate on top of the leg pieces.
• Serve with a small bowl of Scallion-Ginger Sauce for dipping or plain soy sauce.
• Stir together the ginger, scallions and 1 teaspoon salt in a heatproof medium bowl.
• Heat the oil over high heat in a small pot until it just starts to smoke or registers 375 degrees F on a digital thermometer, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully pour the hot oil over the scallion-ginger mixture and stir to combine. Mix in the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper.

COLD POACHED CHICKEN WITH CHINESE GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Poach chicken: In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan bring water to a boil with gingerroot, Scotch, and salt to taste. Add chicken and simmer, covered, 12 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer chicken with tongs to a bowl and chill, covered, 20 minutes.
• Make sauce while chicken is cooling: In a bowl stir together sauce ingredients until sugar is dissolved.
• Halve chicken and cut across grain into thin slices. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with coriander.

POACHED CHICKEN WITH GINGER AND SCALLION SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Place the chicken in a covered stock pot filled with enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken stand in the cooking liquid until just warm. Drain, reserving the broth for another use. Rinse the chicken under cold water, pat dry, and rub lightly with sesame oil.
• 2. Cut the chicken into pieces. Arrange neatly on a platter.
• 3. Heat the peanut, vegetable, or corn oil in a small saucepan, and when it is hot add the ginger and scallions. Cook about 30 seconds; remove ginger and scallions with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan.
• 4. Scatter the ginger and scallions over the chicken.
• 5. Add the remain ingredients to the oil, bring to a boil and pour over the chicken. Serve at room temperature.