Plain Boiled Chicken

Plain Boiled Chicken

　　I. Ingredients

Main ingredient: One tender young hen weighing about 750 grams.

Accompaniments: 50 grams ginger, 50 grams scallions.

Seasonings: 5 grams fine salt, 60 grams peanut oil.

II. Method

The main ingredient should be a young hen with tender and thick meat, small and soft bones, and that has not yet laid eggs. Avoid those that are too heavy or too light. Slaughter the chicken and prepare it immediately to ensure freshness. After selecting the main ingredient, carry out preliminary processing.

Finely chop the ginger and slice the white part of the scallions. Then mix them evenly with the fine salt and divide between two small bowls.

Place the pan over medium heat, add oil and heat until slightly bubbling, then pour it into the two small bowls respectively to fry the ginger and scallion slices until aromatic. Set aside for later use.

Place the pan over high heat, add water and heat until the water temperature reaches about 90°C. Hold the chicken’s head and immerse the body in the water, then lift it out. Repeat this immersion process three times to equalize the temperature inside and outside the chicken cavity, but do not immerse for too long each time. Finally, place the whole chicken in the pot, ensuring the water covers the chicken, and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken once cooked.

Immerse the cooked chicken in cold boiled water to cool, remove fine hairs and yellow skin, rinse it clean, and then use a clean towel to absorb all moisture from the chicken’s surface. Next, brush the entire surface of the chicken with cooked oil to make it shiny and smooth. Finally, carve the chicken and arrange it in a waist plate to resemble its original shape.

Serve with two condiments: fried ginger and sliced scallions for flavor.

III. Features

Tender skin, smooth with oil, and fragrant with chicken flavor.