Poached Chicken w/Sizzling Scallion Oil
It may be nostalgia, but I believe there is some form of alchemy at play that turns five very ordinary ingredients into this deeply satisfying dish.
This simple recipe comes straight from my Chinese grandma's kitchen. It's one of many recipes I've attempted to recreate from memory without any written ingredients, steps, or notes.
Based on my grandma's history, I assume that this is a Cantonese dish, and so I assume it has a Cantonese name. Unfortunately, I don't know what that name is.
At home, we call it "soil chicken" because the sauce is made of soy sauce and oil. And that's a lot easier than saying "Poached chicken with sizzling scallion oil". But I don't know if anyone would click a recipe that sounds like it involves chicken and dirt.
There's often a lot of trial and error when trying to cook something you haven't had in more than 20 years. However, I've made this so many times that I think I've got it down pat.
When I say this is a "simple" recipe, I do mean it. It's nothing more than a whole poached chicken. So if you get that step right, you're home free. Just don't over (or under) cook it. Easy, right?
Recipe Notes
When it comes to cooking the chicken, the measurements (and ingredients) are a very loose guide. Not because I didn't have a recipe to work from, but because they don't matter all that much. And I'd rather you use what you have for that portion of the dish.
If you've never boiled a whole chicken before, I recommend you use a digital thermometer to help you on this journey. It'll take out the guesswork and help you feel more confident that your bird is cooked and juicy, rather than dry or raw.
Soil Chicken
- 1ea Whole Chicken
- 1ea Knob of Ginger, split in half
- 1bunch Scallions
- 2ea Garlic Cloves
- 1ea Star Anise
- 1/2bunch Cilantro
- 1/2c High-heat Oil (i.e. grapeseed, safflower, canola)
- 1/2c Soy Sauce
- Place the whole chicken in a large pot and cover with cool water.
- Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil for 30-60 seconds.
- Remove from heat and remove the chicken from the pot (don't worry, we're not done cooking it).
- Discard the cooking water, rinse the pot, place the chicken back in the pot, and cover with fresh cool water.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and add the ginger, scallions, garlic, and star anise. Or whatever aromatics you have (celery, carrot, onion, and shiitake mushrooms are some good options here.)
- Bring this to a very gentle simmer, then reduce the heat as low as you can while still maintaining some gentle movement in the water.
- Poach the chicken for about 45 minutes, flipping and rotating the bird every 15 minutes. When doing this, be sure the water in the cavity of the chicken is being emptied and refilled as well.
- Once your chicken is fully cooked, remove it to a heat-proof dish to rest.
- Meanwhile, slice your scallions into ribbons, pick your cilantro, and slowly heat your oil to 350-400F.
- Once you can handle the chicken, break it down and arrange in a single layer in the heat-proof dish.
- Cover the chicken with the prepared scallions and then very carefully pour the hot oil over the scallions. They should sizzle violently.
- Next, pour the soy sauce over and finish with fresh cilantro.
- Spoon this over steamed rice, using the soy sauce and oil as a sauce for the chicken and rice.