Poached Whole Chicken Food

CANTONESE POACHED CHICKEN (BAI QIE JI)

Steps:

• Make sure your chicken is at room temperature (trying to poach a cold chicken right out of the refrigerator will result in uneven cooking or undercooking). Clean the chicken by rinsing it under cold water, paying special attention to the cavity. Any giblets should already be removed but there may still be organs on the inside that should be removed or sometimes stray feathers that need to be plucked. Experts recommend that it's not necessary to wash your chicken before cutting and cooking but in this case for a whole chicken (especially if you get it from a live poultry place or even from Asian markets), it's a step that shouldn't be skipped, in my opinion. When washing and prepping the whole chicken, be very careful about splashing water and contaminating surfaces with unwanted bacteria. Be careful not to break or trim away any of the skin on the chicken, as you don't want the meat exposed to the boiling water as it cooks. This will ensure a moist, silky texture in the final product.
• Fill a large stock pot with water, just enough to submerge the chicken completely. You can determine this by putting the entire chicken in the pot, filling it with water until the chicken is submerged, and then removing the chicken. Do not turn on the heat while the chicken is still in the pot! This method of ensuring you have just enough water to submerge the chicken (and avoiding any extra) will ensure you have a more flavorful stock to save at the end. We used about 18 cups of water to submerge a 4 pound chicken in a deep stock pot.
• Once you have your water properly measured into the pot, add 2 scallions and 5 slices of ginger, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, slowly lower the chicken into the pot, legs down and head up. It's ok if the breast is peeking out of the water a bit. The water will cool down and stop boiling when you add the chicken, so bring it up to a boil once again, and do not walk away from the pot.
• Once the water boils again, IMMEDIATELY lift the chicken out of the water very carefully. You can carefully hook two wooden spoons under the wings to lift the chicken up. The goal is to empty any colder water that may be trapped inside the cavity. Once you've released that water, lower the chicken back into the pot, and bring to a boil again.
• When the water is JUST starting to boil, turn the heat down. Keep it at barely a simmer. There should be very little movement in the water, but it also shouldn't be still. Cover the pot, and keep the heat around the lowest setting so the liquid continues to simmer slowly. Cook for about 35-40 minutes, roughly 10-11 minutes per pound. Depending on the size of your chicken, it may take more or less time to cook it through. You can check to make sure the water is bubbling slowly/gently and not boiling too vigorously, but try to avoid uncovering the pot while it's cooking.
• Poke a chopstick or skewer into the thigh to check for doneness. If the juices run clear, it's done. Carefully lift the chicken out of the pot and transfer it to a large bowl of ice water. Cool completely.
• While the chicken is cooling, make the sauce. You have the option to make two versions-one with just scallions, ginger, oil and salt, and one with soy sauce. The plain version is more traditional, as it really lets the flavors of chicken, ginger, and scallion shine through. Judy loves to add soy sauce, and it's also a tasty option! Start with the plain version, and then scoop some of it out into another bowl and add soy sauce. Try both and see which your loved ones like best!
• When the chicken is out of the ice water, you can brush it lightly with oil or some of the fat floating atop the poaching liquid to give it that enticing, shiny look!
• To serve, carve your chicken into pieces that you can easily grab with chopsticks. Serve with your sauce(s) and some steamed rice.

POACHED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken and stock in a medium saucepot, and cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer chicken to a plate; set aside until cool enough to handle. Pull the meat from the bones in large pieces, discarding skin and bones. Reduce liquid to 2 cups for Chicken Potpie.

POACHED CHICKENS

Steps:

• Place the chicken in a very large stockpot or divide by poaching the chickens in 2 pots. Add the peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, carrots, celery, onions, lemon slices and herb bundle tied with string. Sprinkle with salt. Cover the chickens with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, a rolling simmer. Simmer 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, then cool the chickens in their stock. Strain the stock. Remove the skin and bones from the chickens and pull the meat into bite-size pieces.

POACHED WHOLE CHICKEN (CROCK POT)

Steps:

• Rub herbs and salt into cavity of chicken.
• Put vegetables in slow cooker.
• Truss chicken compactly and place in slow cooker. Add wine.
• Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
• Serve hot with noodles or chill and slice.

POACHED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken, breast side down, onion, garlic, and salt in a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove chicken from pot, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Let chicken stand until cool enough to handle. Shred meat, and mix with reserved cooking liquid.

ONE-POT POACHED SPRING CHICKEN

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small pan, discard the milky liquid, then pour the golden fat into a bowl and set aside - this is clarified butter. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Sit the chicken in a large flameproof casserole dish, breast-side up, and arrange the potatoes and bacon around it. Pour over 1 litre of water. Add the thyme, pepper and bay, drizzle over the clarified butter and season everything with sea salt. Transfer the dish to the hob and heat until the liquid is starting to simmer. Cover the dish, cook in the oven for 1 hr 15 mins, then add the carrots and turnips. Pop the lid back on and put it back in the oven for another 35 mins.
• Scatter the peas, broad beans, onions and asparagus around the chicken, submerging them in the liquid, then cover and return to the oven for a further 10-15 mins or until the vegetables are just cooked.
• Remove from the oven, leave to stand for 5 mins, then carefully lift the chicken from the broth onto a board. If you want to crisp up the skin, blast it with a blowtorch. Stir the parsley and tarragon through the broth. Serve in the middle of the table with the vegetables and broth, and offer lemon wedges for squeezing over.

POACHED CHICKEN

Steps:

• To a large pot, add carrot, celery, garlic, leek, onion, lemon, bay, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns. Set the chicken into pot breast-side up, then add 3 to 4 quarts water to come up sides and just approach covering chicken, then cover and bring to boil. As soon as the pot boils, uncover and add salt, then turn down heat and simmer at low rolling boil, turning the whole chicken twice, every 30 minutes, 1 1/2 hours total. Let the chicken cool 30 minutes more in its own juice.
• Remove chicken from cooled broth into shallow dish and remove skin, then pull and remove meat from bones with the assistance of a paring or boning knife. Pull or chop the meat into small or bite-sized pieces.
• Strain the stock into a large container or bowl.

POACHED CHICKEN BREAST

Steps:

• Tip the carrot, celery and garlic into a large saucepan. Tie the herbs together in a bunch with a piece of kitchen string, then add to the pan with the chicken breasts, water and 2 tsp salt (adding a little more water if it doesn't quite cover the chicken). Bring to the boil, then immediately lower to a simmer and cook over a very low heat for 10-12 mins, or until the juices run clear in the thickest part of the breast.
• Remove the pan from the heat and scoop out the chicken breasts from the poaching liquid. Slice or tear the chicken into pieces and use in salads, soups or sandwiches.