Fujian White Cut Chicken
Fujian cuisine emphasizes natural flavors, and this White Cut Chicken is the perfect example. Perfect timing ensures every slice of chicken radiates natural deliciousness.
What is Fujian White Cut Chicken?
Fujian White Cut Chicken is a classic traditional Fujian dish. It is cooked by boiling. Technically speaking, it is a very simple and unadorned dish, just like a blank sheet of paper.
Its characteristic is to use a whole chicken. After stewing, the sliced chicken is flavored by pouring the chicken broth over it, thus preserving the original flavor of the chicken and keeping the meat tender.
Different from some braised or stir-fried dishes, the cooking method of White Cut Chicken pays more attention to retaining the natural freshness of the chicken.
The most special part of this dish lies in its technique of pouring the broth. The cooked chicken broth is not only used for flavoring. By repeatedly pouring it over the chicken, each piece of chicken can be fully saturated with the broth, making the taste more rich.
What kind of chicken is the best choice?
For a fresh whole chicken, it is best to use three-yellow chickens or free-range chickens. Their meat is firm and the skin is smooth and tender. If you can't buy a live chicken, soak the chilled fresh chicken in light salt water for half an hour in advance. This can remove the fishy smell and make the meat more moist.
The size of the chicken should be appropriate. It is best to choose a medium-sized chicken (about 1 - 1.5 kilograms). If the chicken is too small, the meat may not be plump enough. While a too large chicken may require a longer cooking time, which will affect the taste.
Do I have to use a whole chicken?
You don't necessarily have to use a whole chicken! If there are few people or you want to save trouble, using chicken legs or half a chicken is also completely fine. However, the advantage of cooking a whole chicken is that the umami of the bone marrow can dissolve into the soup, and the meat is more evenly soft and tender.
You can also choose 3 - 4 fresh large chicken legs. Put them in cold water and cook for 35 minutes until they are thoroughly cooked. Before pouring the soup, cut along the bone with scissors so that the scallion oil soup can seep into the meat gaps. It will be just as delicious!
INGREDIENTS
Main Ingredients
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·1 whole chicken
Additional Ingredients
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·4 slices of ginger (to remove fishy smell)
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·20g scallions (used for stir-frying to bring out the flavor and pouring the soup)
Seasonings
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·2 teaspoons of salt
COOKING STEP
Step 1
Boil the chicken: Put the whole chicken into cold water. Add ginger slices to remove the fishy smell. Cover the pot and boil for 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through.
Step 2
Cut the chicken: Take out the cooked chicken and cut it into pieces for later use.
Step 3
Sauté the scallions: Heat oil in a wok. Add the white parts of the scallions and sauté until fragrant.
Step 4
Prepare the soup base: Pour in a bowl of freshly boiled chicken soup. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil.
Step 5
Add the green parts of scallions: Then add the remaining green parts of the scallions.
Step 6
Pour the soup: Pour the boiled soup over the cut chicken repeatedly. Do this three times until the chicken is well flavored.
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Secrets to Success
Key Points
To make the chicken tender and not dry, remember the principle of "soaking once and simmering once": After cooking, don't rush to take out the chicken when you turn off the heat. Let the chicken soak in the hot soup for 10 minutes. Use the remaining heat to make the meat loose. The meat juice will be locked inside when cutting.
The Secret of Heat Control
Keep the heat at a low level during the whole process of boiling the chicken so that the water surface just bubbles slightly. If the boiling is too violent, the skin and the meat may separate. If the chicken is relatively large (over 3 jin), appropriately extend the cooking time by 15 minutes. When you insert a chopstick into the root of the chicken leg and there is no bloody water, it means the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
The Rule of Pouring the Soup Three Times
The first time you pour the soup, it washes away the floating oil on the surface of the chicken. The second time allows the salty and fresh flavor to penetrate into the texture. The third time fully infuses the scallion aroma into the meat! When pouring, evenly pour the soup from a high place over the chicken pieces. Remember to scoop up the soup accumulated at the bottom of the plate and pour it back and forth to make the chicken more flavored.
Details to Get Smooth Chicken Skin
After taking out the cooked chicken, you can quickly dip it in ice water (for just 5 seconds). The chicken skin will shrink and become crispy instantly. But don't soak it for too long, or the freshness will be lost!
Extra Point for Dipping Sauce
Mix a spoonful of minced garlic and half a spoonful of white pepper powder into the scallion oil soup. Dipping the chicken in this sauce will double the freshness. Or squeeze some juice from small green tangerines. It is refreshing, relieves greasiness, and has more of the Fujian flavor!
Don't Waste the Leftover Soup
Filter out the impurities from the soup used to boil the chicken, freeze it, and use it directly as a stock for cooking noodles or stewing dishes next time. It is ten times more delicious than plain water!
Variations
Upgraded Scallion Oil Method
Add two tablespoons of shrimp oil (or shredded dried scallops) when frying scallions. The umami flavor of the poured soup will double immediately! People living by the sea often do this. The blend of the flavors of the sea and land enhances the taste greatly.
Steamed Refreshing Version
Instead of boiling, steam the chicken over water: Rub the whole chicken with a thin layer of salt, stuff ginger slices and knotted scallions inside the chicken, and steam it over high heat for 40 minutes. The steamed chicken soup is clearer, and the chicken meat is especially firm and elastic.
Spiciness Lover's Version
After pouring the soup, sprinkle a handful of minced garlic and chopped bird's eye chili peppers on top, then pour a spoonful of hot oil over it! The spiciness doesn't overpower the freshness, making it suitable for those who can't do without spicy food.
Boneless Lazy Version
After the chicken has cooled down, simply tear it into strips by hand, pour the soup over and mix well, then refrigerate for 1 hour. Served cold as a refreshing side dish, it goes well with alcohol or congee.
Chaoshan Flavor Dipping Sauce
Use Puning soybean paste instead of salt to prepare the soup base. After pouring the soup, serve it with a dipping plate of kumquat oil. The fruity aroma revealed in the salty and fresh taste instantly transforms it into a coastal flavor!
Low-Temperature Slow-Cooking Method
(Requires a thermometer) Slowly soak the chicken in 65°C warm water for 2 hours. The meat will easily separate from the bone, and it will be as tender as tofu.
Consumption Suggestions
Pairing with Dipping Sauces
Add a spoonful of crushed peanuts and half a spoonful of fish sauce to the scallion oil soup. When dipping the chicken, it will add an extra layer of nutty aroma and a savory flavor. For those who like sweet and sour flavors, squeezing some kumquat juice can immediately enhance the freshness.
Classic Combinations
Place a few slices of tender white radish or cucumber at the bottom of the plate. When pouring the soup, the vegetables will soak up the chicken soup, offering a crisp and refreshing taste that relieves greasiness. Serve with a small dish of garlic soy sauce on the side. Dipping the chicken in it will make the taste more layered.
Staple Food Pairings
It goes well with a bowl of dry indica rice or slightly firm noodles, making it very appetizing.
Recommended Soups
Don't waste the leftover chicken soup! After skimming off the floating oil, add some Chinese cabbage hearts or baby bok choy. Cook until the vegetable leaves are completely tender, sprinkle some white pepper powder, and you'll have a sweet and warm chicken soup with vegetables.
Alternative Summer eating method
After the chicken has cooled down, tear it into shreds. Mix in blanched mung bean sprouts and shredded seaweed, then pour over the refrigerated scallion oil soup. Eating it cold like a salad is especially suitable for hot and stuffy weather.
FAQs:
If it is put into hot water, the outer layer will be cooked first, which may easily cause the chicken to taste dry and tough, rather than tender and smooth.
You can also use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the chicken. When it reaches 75°C, it is cooked.
If you want to store it for a longer time, you can freeze it. Frozen storage can keep it for 1 - 2 weeks. Remember to heat it thoroughly before eating.
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