Chinese
White Cut Chicken
Cantonese white-cut chicken poached gently for silky meat and springy skin, served with ginger-scallion oil.
4 servings · 30 minutes prep · 45 minutes cook
Ingredients
Main
- 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2-4 lb
- 6 qt water
- 6 pieces, thinly sliced
- 4 whole scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths, for poaching
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup ginger, finely minced
- 1/4 cup scallions, finely minced
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt, for sauce
Directions
Method
- Bring the water, 6 pieces of ginger, scallions, and kosher salt to a boil in a large stockpot. Lower in the chicken, lift it out, and repeat twice to temper the skin.
- Submerge the chicken breast side up, return the liquid to a bare simmer, cover, and cook gently for 25 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and steep the chicken, covered, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165F, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to ice water for 10 minutes, then drain well and brush the skin with the sesame oil.
- Mix the minced ginger, minced scallions, and kosher salt in a heatproof bowl. Heat the avocado oil until shimmering and pour it carefully over the aromatics.
- Chop the chicken Chinese-style through the bone with a cleaver, or carve it into pieces with a chef knife. Serve with the ginger-scallion oil and soy sauce on the side.
