**White Cut Chicken: A Delicacy of Simplicity and Flavor**
White Cut Chicken, also known as Wen Chang Chicken, is a classic Cantonese dish that showcases the natural flavors of chicken and the essence of simplicity. This beloved dish is a staple of Cantonese cuisine, often served as a centerpiece at celebrations and special occasions. The preparation of White Cut Chicken involves meticulous attention to detail, resulting in tender, succulent meat and a flavorful broth that forms the base of the accompanying dipping sauce.
The recipes presented in this article provide step-by-step instructions to create this delectable dish using different techniques and variations. From the classic White Cut Chicken recipe that emphasizes the purity of flavors to variations that incorporate herbs and spices for enhanced complexity, there's a recipe here to suit every palate.
Discover the art of preparing White Cut Chicken with our comprehensive guide, which includes tips for selecting the best chicken, achieving the perfect poaching temperature, and creating a flavorful dipping sauce. Learn the secrets of this iconic dish and impress your family and friends with a culinary masterpiece that embodies the essence of Cantonese cuisine.
CANTONESE POACHED CHICKEN (BAI QIE JI)
Authentic Chinese Poached Chicken (白切鸡 - bai qie ji), or "white cut chicken," is a special dish. It is both deceptively simple and delicious, served with minced ginger, scallions, oil, and salt.
Provided by Bill
Categories Chicken and Poultry
Time 1h10m
Number Of Ingredients 8
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 301 kcal, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 20 g, Fat 23 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Cholesterol 82 mg, Sodium 272 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, ServingSize 1 serving
WHITE-CUT CHICKEN
A traditional Chinese poached chicken recipe. Plunging the chicken into ice water after poaching ensures that the meat is perfectly juicy and tender.
Categories Chicken Ginger Leafy Green Onion Appetizer Quick & Easy Dinner Lunar New Year Ham Cilantro Boil Gourmet Sugar Conscious Dairy Free Tree Nut Free No Sugar Added
Yield Makes 8 servings (as part of a Chinese meal)
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Make chicken:
- Rinse chicken inside and out, then bend legs to tuck feet (if still attached) inside cavity. Stuff cavity with scallions, ham, and ginger.
- Bring water with salt to a boil in a deep 7- to 8-quart stockpot or pasta pot. Add chicken, breast side down (chicken may not be completely covered with liquid), then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 30 minutes. Turn chicken over and let stand, covered, 15 minutes more (chicken will be cooked through).
- While chicken stands, fill a large bowl three-fourths full with ice and cold water. Carefully remove chicken from pot with a large slotted spoon and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Let stand, gently turning over once (be careful not to tear skin), until cool, about 10 minutes total. Carefully transfer to a cutting board and discard scallions, ham, and ginger from cavity. Pat dry. Rub skin with sesame oil.
- Make dipping sauce:
- Stir together scallions and soy sauce in a small heatproof bowl.
- Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water vaporizes instantly. Pour oil around side of wok, then tilt wok to swirl oil, coating sides. When oil just begins to smoke, carefully add ginger (oil will spatter) and stir-fry 30 seconds. Immediately remove from heat and pour over scallion mixture, stirring to combine (scallions will wilt).
- To cut and serve chicken on a platter (Chinese restaurant-style), cut off the head and neck (if attached) with a cleaver and put at one end of a large platter. (These parts, along with the back and feet, aren't always eaten.) Cut off the feet. Cut off the drumsticks and thighs, then cut crosswise through the boneinto 1-inch pieces. Place the feet and leg meat at the other end of the platter. Cut off the wings, separating them at the joints, and put on the sides of the platter. Cut through the ribs, separating breast from back, then cut the backbone crosswise into 3 pieces and put them in the center of the platter. (Striking the cleaver with a rubber mallet makes the cuts clean.) Cut the breast crosswise through the bone into 1-inch pieces and arrange on the back. Alternatively, cut chicken according to procedure and mound pieces in a bowl.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons dipping sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature, with remaining dipping sauce on the side.
STEWED CHICKEN
Steps:
- For the chicken: Season chicken with salt, pepper, thyme and garlic. Heat two tablespoons of oil in large frying pan over moderately high heat. Brown chicken, turning pieces once, about 4 minutes per side. Add a few teaspoons of water to skillet. Repeat a few times and then add watered flour to make a gravy. As chicken browns, add onions, cover pan and simmer on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes so chicken will stew. (Typically back home in Belize onion was the only vegetable used with the chicken, however many Belizians that are now in the Unites States add bell pepper and tomatoes to this dish.)
- For the rice and beans: Clean beans and check for stones. Put beans in a stockpot with water to cover, thyme, onions, garlic and pepper. Do not add salt at this time because the beans will turn hard. Cover and cook over moderate heat for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes and adding a little water if necessary. Cook until beans have softened. Add salt, coconut milk and uncooked rice. Cover and barely simmer over low heat (milk may easily burn) for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
WHITE CHICKEN CHILI STEW
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 47m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the scallions, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, yucca, corn, carrots and chipotles and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook until the yucca is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir to break up the yucca and thicken the broth slightly.
- Add the chicken and beans and cook, stirring occasionally, to heat and thicken, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro before serving.
WHITE CUT CHICKEN WITH GINGER SCALLION SAUCE (白切鸡姜葱酱)
Learn how to make this classic Cantonese chicken dish, a must-have for Chinese holidays and celebrations!
Provided by Made With Lau
Categories main course
Time 1h
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 7
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.
WHITE CUT CHICKEN, STEWING FOWL
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- 1. Place chicken in a heavy saucepan. Slice scallion stalks and ginger root and add, along with cold water and salt. Bring to a boil then cook, covered, over medium heat 30 minutes. 2. Turn off heat and let stand, covered, 30 minutes more. (Do not remove lid.) 3. Drain, reserving liquid for stock. Let cool then refrigerate. Chop in 2-inch sections, or carve Western-style. Serve with dips for white cut chicken (search for "Category: White-Cooked or Roast Chicken Dips"). The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.
Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves
CHICKEN CUTLETS WITH WHITE WINE AND GARLIC
Freezing and thawing the chicken cutlets in the marinade infuses them with flavor. You can also cook them without freezing, just marinate for 30 minutes.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Chicken Chicken Breast Recipes
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Stack cutlets in a double layer in a 1-gallon freezer bag. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons butter, wine, garlic, and thyme and whisk to combine. Season with pepper. Pour marinade into bag with cutlets and freeze (see below).
- To serve, thaw chicken in refrigerator overnight. Remove cutlets from bag and discard marinade. Gently shake chicken to remove liquid and season with salt. In 2 batches, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high; add half the cutlets to pan and cook until browned and cooked through, 4 minutes total, flipping halfway through and adjusting heat as necessary to prevent pan from overbrowning. Serve chicken sprinkled with parsley, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 196 g, Fat 13 g, Protein 12 g
Tips:
- Choose a stewing chicken that is plump and has a yellow or pale skin. Avoid chickens with dry or scaly skin.
- To remove any impurities or blood from the chicken, rinse it thoroughly under cold running water.
- To enhance the flavor of the chicken, marinate it in a mixture of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and scallions for at least 30 minutes.
- To achieve a tender and succulent chicken, simmer it over low heat for at least 1 hour, or until the meat falls off the bone.
- To add more flavor and richness to the dish, add some dried shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and goji berries during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Serve the white-cut chicken with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and scallions.
Conclusion:
White-cut chicken is a classic Chinese dish that is both simple to prepare and incredibly flavorful. By following these tips, you can create a delicious and authentic white-cut chicken that your family and friends will love. Whether you are a seasoned cook or a beginner, this dish is sure to impress. So, gather your ingredients and give white-cut chicken a try today!
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