White cut chicken 白切鸡

White Cut Chicken (白切鸡) is a classic dish from Cantonese cuisine, celebrated for its simplicity and delicate flavour. The chicken is poached in hot water, allowing the natural flavours of the meat to shine through without heavy seasoning. Once cooked, it is cooled, chopped into bite-sized pieces, and served with a flavourful dipping sauce, typically made of ginger, chive, and sesame oil. The origins of White Cut Chicken date back to ancient times, where its minimalistic preparation was favoured for maintaining the freshness and tenderness of the chicken. This dish is often enjoyed during family gatherings and festive occasions, symbolizing purity and unity in Chinese culture.

Ingredients

1. 1 whole young chicken
2. 15g ginger
3. 10g chives or spring onions
4. 10g  chicken powder or bouillon
5. 25 g salt
6. 3 L water
7. 5g minced ginger
8. 2g chopped chive or spring onion
9. 15g light soy sauce
10. 5g sugar
11. 1g rice vinegar
12. 25g boiled chicken soup

Instruction

1. Take a large pot and bring the water, salt, chicken powder or bouillon, chives and ginger to a boil.
2. Wash the chicken thoroughly, blanch it in the water for 5 seconds and then lift, repeat this 3 times and then completely sink the chicken into the water.
3. Turn off the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes, insert chopsticks or tooth picker into the leg to check whether there is blood, if not, take it out directly and put it in ice water to cool, if there is blood, continue to stand for 5 minutes or until no more blood is showing and then take it out and put it in ice water.
5. Put the chicken in ice water for more than 15 minutes, then chop it into bite size with a sharp knife and serve it on a plate.
6. To make the sauce, add all the seasonings to a small bowl and stir well. Depends on the regions of China, some may prefer to use soy sauce as the dipping sauce.