This is a delicious alternative to Hainanese chicken. You don't need to prepare a whole chicken, just chicken breast. I recommend using pieces with skin on but you can do skinless. Gently poached and perfectly moist and juicy, this chicken is simple and so delicious over rice when served with a bit of chili oil and garlic-scallion oil. You'll be amazed at the delicate simplicity!
Poached Chicken
Ingredients (serves 4)
2-3 large chicken breasts (3/4-1 lb), boneless and with or without skin
1" piece of fresh ginger cut into thick coins
1 bay leaf
4 stalks green onions, cut in half, root ends removed
2 Tablespoons kosher salt (or 1 Tbs sea salt)
chili oil (optional)
ginger-scallion oil (not optional!)
- 2 stalks of green onions finely sliced
- 3 Tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon sea salt)
-1/3 cup vegetable or other light flavored oil like avocado oil
Directions
Bring ginger, bay leaf, green onions and 6-8 cups of water in a medium saucepan up to a boil. Add the salt and chicken breasts. When it comes back up to a boil, let it boil for 5 minutes then cover and turn heat off. Let sit for about 20 minutes in the poaching liquid.
In the meantime prepare the ginger-scallion oil. Add the green onions, ginger and salt to a small heat proof bowl. Heat oil in a small saucepan. When it is shimmery, turn off heat and pour hot oil over the ginger-scallion mixture. Alternatively you can place all the ingredients in a small heat proof, microwavable bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds.
Remove chicken breasts to a clean cutting surface and slice into thick 1/4-1/2" slices. Spoon over some ginger-scallion oil (and chili oil if using) and serve over rice. Enjoy with your favorite stir-fried greens to make the meal complete!
Little side note/alternative recipe. I remembered that we made this poached chicken in chili oil at Chopsticks. Same poached chicken but we shred the chicken into bite sized chunks and smothered in chili oil. We always sold out of it! If you want to give it a try, poach a few extra chicken breasts and enjoy that version of a spicy chicken salad. The poached chicken breasts with either chili oil or ginger-scallion oil are also delicious cold!