Chinese White Cut Chicken (Bái Qie Ji) Recipe

• 4-5 pound broiler-fryer chicken
• 5 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 ounce fresh ginger (thumb-sized piece for poaching)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 quarts ice water
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons green scallions, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons ginger, finely shredded
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Remove any excess fat from the chicken. Rub chicken with 2 teaspoons of salt, then rinse under cold water and place onto a rack to drain.
2. In a large stock pot, bring about 3 quarts water, ginger, garlic and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil over high heat. Slowly add the chicken, breast-side up. Add more boiling water if necessary to cover the chicken completely. Return water to a boil and boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes, removing any scum on the surface. Cover pot, turn off heat and let the chicken sit for 20 minutes.
3. Uncover the pot and return to a boil for 3-4 minutes. Carefully remove from pot and place the chicken in a colander in the sink. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of thigh. Thermometer should read 170°F. (Return to pot and simmer for a few more minutes if internal temperature is under 170°F.) Slowly pour ice water over the chicken in the colander. Transfer chicken to cutting board and rub it with sesame oil. Allow chicken to cool before chopping the chicken with a meat cleaver. Reserve chicken broth for future use.
4. Place scallions, ginger and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a small heatproof bowl. In a small skillet or saucepan, heat vegetable oil over high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Carefully, pour the oil over scallion mixture. The oil will make a crackling sound and may splatter when it hits the scallion mixture. Serve the chicken warm or room temperature with scallion-ginger sauce.

Makes 4-6 servings

[Adapted from The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen]

Vietnamese Roasted Chicken Recipe (Ga Ro Ti)

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, plus additional for frying
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1. Trim excess skin and visible fat from chicken thighs using kitchen shears; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce and oil until well combined. Stir in garlic. Add the chicken thighs and evenly distribute the marinade between the thighs. For extra flavor, stuff a little garlic and marinade under the skin. Cover and marinate for 12 to 24 hours in the fridge.
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350°F. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick, oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet skin side down, reduce heat to medium and fry until the skin is deep golden brown, about 6 - 8 minutes. Flip chicken and brown other side for 2-3 minutes; set chicken aside. Don't overcrowd chicken during browning; work in batches if necessary.
4. Drain rendered fat from pan and remove any burnt garlic; leaving a thin film of oil in the skillet. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up and place into oven. Roast chicken for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the thighs. To check for doneness, poke the chicken with a knife; the juices should run clear (bone-in thighs 170°F internal temp, boneless thighs 165°F internal temp). Remove chicken from skillet and serve with dirty sticky rice.

Makes 4 servings with sticky rice

Dirty Sticky Rice with Scallions Recipe

• 6 cups cooked sweet/glutinous rice (3 cups uncooked rice)
• 10-12 green onions/scallions (white and green parts), sliced
• 1-2 tablespoons chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. After roasting the chicken, drain rendered fat from the skillet, leaving a thin coating of grease. Place skillet on burner over medium heat. Add green onions and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. De-glaze skillet by adding a splash of chicken stock and heat through, about 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add cooked sticky rice to pan. Using two wooden spoons, fold the scallions evenly into rice. The rice should be a light brown color filled with scallions and de-glazed chicken and garlic bits.

Makes 4-6 servings