Sunday Nite Dinner

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]