Traditional poached chicken is very popular in Hong Kong. If the chicken is just cooked through with silky smooth skin and the meat is succulent, it’s a high-praised dish that’s well-accepted by everyone.
This traditional poached chicken in spicy sauce delivers succulent, juicy chicken with silky smooth skin infused with aromatic spiced brine.
Steaming the chicken gently and immediately submersing it into a chilled, fragrant brine locks in moisture while allowing every bite to absorb deep herbal notes. It is a simple, nourishing meal that brings restaurant-quality Cantonese home cooking to your dinner table with grace and balance.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Silky, Succulent Texture: Gentle steaming paired with an ice-cold brine bath guarantees tender meat and smooth skin.
- Flavor-Packed Chilled Brine: A fragrant combination of star anise, cinnamon, dried mandarin peel, and dried prawns infuses incredible depth.
- Effortless Ahead Prep: Cool and soak the chicken in advance for a stress-free meal served straight from the fridge.
- Foolproof Food Safety: Accurate temperature testing takes all the guesswork out of cooking whole chicken thighs perfectly.
Key Tips for Success
- Toast Dried Prawns First: Dry-fry the prawns until aromatic to unlock their rich savory flavor before adding them to the brine.
- Chill Brine Completely: Ensure the spice brine is fully refrigerated and ice-cold before adding cooked chicken to rapidly stop residual cooking.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Insert a digital probe into the thickest part of the thigh until it reaches 75°C (165°F) for perfect safety and juiciness.
- Sizzle the Ginger Scallion: Pour smoking hot oil directly over minced ginger and green onions for an authentic, aromatic finishing sauce.
Poached Chicken in Spicy Sauce Recipe (Printable recipe)
By Christine’s Recipes
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep time:
Cook time:
Yield: 2 to 3 serves
By Christine’s Recipes
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep time:
Cook time:
Yield: 2 to 3 serves
Ingredients:
- 2 (700gm) chicken maryland pieces (chicken leg with thigh) or ½ chicken
- 4 slices ginger
- 1 stalk spring onion
- 15 gm dried prawns
- minced ginger with chopped spring onion with oil, for serving
- 1 L water
- 2 Tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 3 slices ginger
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 2 star anise
- 4 pieces ginger
- 1 pieces dried mandarin peel
- 2 pieces licorice root (甘草gān cǎo)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp shaoxing wine
Method:
- Soak the dried prawns until softened. Drain well. Stir fry in a small pan without any oil over medium heat until aromatic. Set aside.
- Put all the ingredients (except the wine) into a deep pot. Add the dried prawns. Bring it to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes to bring out all the flavours and fragrance. Remove from heat to let it cool. Pour in the wine. Refrigerate for 3 hour until the brine turns cold.
- Place the chicken maryland pieces on top of the ginger and spring onion. Transfer to a wok or steamer to steam for 15 minutes over high heat, or until it’s cooked through. I inserted a thermometer to test the thickest part of the chicken thigh. It reached 75C / 165F. Immediately transfer the chicken into the cold brine and soak for 3 hours in the fridge. Serve cold or slightly reheat the chicken if you like. Heat some oil until it almost releases smoke, pour over the minced ginger and spring onion. Serve on side. Enjoy!
Notes：
- According to the instructions from Hong Kong Center for Food Safety, The center of the thickest part of a poached chicken should reach at least 75C / 165F, whereas Australian government recommends at least 74C / 165F. When cutting the poached chicken, make sure that the juices are clear, without any blood inside. I found the traditional way to test with a needle or chopstick to poke through the thickest part with clear juice running out is not quite reliable. The recommended safety temperature is a little bit higher than that. The chicken meat is still tender though. No worries. It’s worth investing a thermometer for the sake of your family health safety.
- By soaking the chicken in the cold brine, the inner cooking will stop. Let it absorb all the flavours of the brine.
- You may cook the chicken in the brine directly instead of steaming for convenience. Also make sure the chicken is cooked through.
- All the spices are available at Asian grocers.
