Steamed Chicken

I have always made Hainan Chicken which uses a poaching method. Poaching can be a hit and miss process. It can produce under cooked or over cooked chicken. Instead of poaching, I tried steaming the chicken. Steaming is simple and quick and easier to control. The chicken meat is tender and if undercooked, can be easily rectified with more steaming time. Steaming also produces a tasty concentrated chicken broth at the end of the steaming process.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/ZLZL5mH3aas

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken & Marinade:

  • Half of a whole chicken

  • 1 tsp soya sauce

  • 1 tsp cooking wine

  • 1/2 salt

  • 1 tbsp ginger (with skin & cut in shreds)

  • 1 tbsp green onion (shreds)

• Dipping sauce: mix together

  • 1 tbsp ginger (grated)

  • 1 tbsp garlic (minced)

  • 1 fresh chilli (minced)

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp sesame oil

  • 1/4 tsp sugar

  • 1 tbsp hot oil

  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce

  • 2 tbsp chicken broth (from the steaming)

METHOD

1. Rub marinade mixture over chicken, including the cavity.
Place ginger and spring onion in the cavity and leave to marinate for at least 30 mins.

2. Set up steamer. When water start to boil, place the chicken, skin side up. Place the ginger and spring onion in the cavity.

3. Steam for 25-30 mins. Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the chicken. If liquid that oozes out is clear, the chicken is cooked. Turn off the heat and leave the chicken covered for another 10 mins. (Note: If blood water oozes out, steam for another 10 mins. until the liquid runs clear)

4. Remove chicken from steaming dish and leave steaming dish with the chicken broth in the steamer to keep warm.

5. De-bone the chicken and cut into chunks and place chicken back onto the chicken broth in the steaming dish.

6. Serve chicken with dipping sauce.