White Cut Chicken
A classic Cantonese dish featuring tender, juicy chicken served with a flavorful ginger and scallion sauce. The chicken is briefly blanched then gently simmered until perfectly cooked, resulting in tender meat with a silky skin.
Story
White Cut Chicken, known as Bai Zhan Ji in Chinese, is a beloved dish in Cantonese cuisine. The technique involves briefly blanching the chicken then gently cooking it in hot water, resulting in incredibly tender meat and smooth, almost gelatinous skin. The key is proper temperature control - the water should be kept at a gentle simmer, never a vigorous boil.
Ingredients
whole chicken (about 3 lbs/1.4 kg)
1
fresh ginger
3 inches, sliced
green onions
4 stalks
garlic
3 cloves, minced
vegetable oil
1/4 cup
sesame oil
1 tablespoon
light soy sauce
2 tablespoons
salt
to taste
Sichuan peppercorns
optional, pinch
Instructions
1
Prepare the chicken
Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Rinse thoroughly inside and out. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
2
Start the poaching liquid
Fill a large pot with enough water to fully submerge the chicken. Add 2 green onions, half the ginger slices, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
3
Cook the chicken
Gently lower the chicken into the simmering water. The water should bubble gently - never boil vigorously. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Turn off heat and let chicken rest in the water for 15 minutes.
4
Make the dipping sauce
While chicken rests, combine remaining minced ginger and green onions in a small bowl. Heat vegetable oil and sesame oil until smoking, then pour over the ginger mixture. Add soy sauce and stir to combine.
5
Slice and serve
Remove chicken from pot and pat dry. Slice into serving pieces, arranging on a platter. Serve warm or at room temperature with the ginger-scallion dipping sauce on the side.
