Three Delights from Earth
Eggplant, potato and green pepper, fried then tossed in a savoury sauce — a classic Northeastern home dish.
← Home · Cantonese chicken poached
White Cut Chicken
Gently poached chicken, chilled for a firm, silky texture, served with a ginger-scallion dip. Adapted for a home kitchen from the original ClouChef R&D report — 白切鸡, report 21.
Original poster image from clouchef.com (poster: 白切鸡_21.jpeg). This is the hero poster only, not a step-by-step photo set.
Prep: 15 minutesCook: 50 minutesTotal: 1 hour 15 minutesServings: 3–4Difficulty: MediumRegion: Guangdong (Cantonese)Flavour: Clean, savoury, gingery
Why this works
White cut chicken is a test of restraint: the chicken is never boiled hard, because rolling water tightens the meat and splits the skin. Instead it goes into boiling water, the heat drops to a bare simmer at 90–95 °C, and after 18–20 minutes the pot is simply switched off. The 30-minute covered steep that follows is where the cooking actually finishes, gently and evenly, which is why the report insists on checking the thickest part of the thigh with a thermometer rather than trusting the clock. The ice bath is not decoration either: ten minutes in equal parts ice and water contracts the skin so it turns firm and glossy instead of flabby, and a brush of oil heated past 180 °C keeps it from drying. The dip does the seasoning work the poaching deliberately leaves out, so the clean chicken flavour stays front and centre.
ADVERTISEMENT — PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric | Substitute / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole chicken (San Huang type if available) | 2.8–3.3 lb | 1.25–1.5 kg | A free-range or yellow-skinned chicken gives the best skin and flavour (adaptation). The report specifies a 2.5–3 jin San Huang chicken. |
| Ginger, sliced | 1 oz | 30 g | Stuffed into the cavity. |
| Scallions, cut into sections | 0.7 oz | 20 g | Stuffed into the cavity. |
| Salt | 1 tbsp | 15 g | Rubbed over the skin with the oil. |
| Neutral cooking oil | 2 tsp | 10 ml | For rubbing the skin; plus extra, heated past 180 °C, for brushing after chilling. |
| Ginger paste, for the dip | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp | 20 g | Finely grated fresh ginger. |
| Scallions, finely chopped, for the dip | 1 tbsp | 10 g | — |
| Sand ginger powder | 1 tsp | 5 g | If unavailable, use extra grated ginger (adaptation) — the flavour will be gingery rather than sand-ginger fragrant. |
| Oyster sauce, for the dip | 1 tbsp | 15 ml | — |
Equipment
- Large pot that fits the whole chicken
- Thermometer (the report requires a thigh-temperature check)
- Large bowl for the ice bath
- Pastry brush
Steps
- Prepare the chicken. Clean the chicken and pat it dry. Stuff the ginger slices and scallion sections into the cavity. Rub the skin with the salt and oil and rest for 10 minutes.
- Poach, then steep. Bring a pot of water large enough to cover the chicken to a boil. Lower the chicken in, then turn down to a bare simmer at 90–95 °C — the surface should only tremble. Cook for 18–20 minutes, about 8 minutes per jin.
- Check the temperature. Switch off the heat, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Then check the thickest part of the thigh with a thermometer: it must read at least 75 °C held for 15 seconds before you go on.
- Chill the skin. Lift the chicken into an ice bath of equal parts ice and water and soak for 10 minutes, until the skin feels firm and tight. Drain well and brush the skin with oil heated past 180 °C.
- Make the dip and carve. Mix the ginger paste and chopped scallions, pour over oil heated to 150–180 °C until it sizzles, then stir in the sand ginger powder and oyster sauce. Carve at the joints into even pieces, keeping the skin intact, and serve with the dip, cooled below 60 °C.
ADVERTISEMENT — PLACEHOLDER
Technique: poach and steep, never rolling-boil
The report's control points are a chain: boiling water in, then immediately down to 90–95 °C; 30 minutes of covered steeping; a thermometer reading of at least 75 °C in the thigh; and a 10-minute ice bath. Break the chain and you get either undercooked meat near the bone or dry, split skin. If the thermometer reading is short, return the chicken to hot (not boiling) water for a few more minutes and check again — do not serve it on time alone.
Variations
- Extra dip.: Double the sand ginger powder in the dip for a dedicated sand-ginger version (from the report). Heat the oil the same way.
- Chicken pieces.: Bone-in thighs and drumsticks can use the same poach-and-steep approach at home; judge doneness by thermometer, not by the whole-bird timing (adaptation).
- Fancier serving.: The report notes shrimp, mango, grapefruit or taro as optional garnishes for a premium version; they are not needed for the classic dish.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there still pink near the bone?
Usually the steep was cut short or the bird was larger than the report's 2.5–3 jin. Check the thigh temperature and steep longer in hot water if it reads below 75 °C.
Why is my skin soft instead of firm?
The ice bath was probably skipped or too short. Ten minutes in a true ice-water mix is what tightens the skin.
Can I serve it warm instead of chilled?
Yes — serve it at room temperature after chilling and brushing with oil. Reheating the carved chicken will soften the skin you just firmed up.
Storage
Keep refrigerated and eat within 2 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature; if you do reheat, warm gently until steaming throughout and do not reheat more than once. Keep the dip refrigerated separately and use within 2 days.
White Cut Chicken — Recipe Card
Gently poached chicken with firm, glossy skin and a hot-oil ginger-scallion dip.
Prep: 15 minutesCook: 50 minutesTotal: 1 hour 15 minutesServings: 3–4
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (1.25–1.5 kg); 30 g ginger; 20 g scallions; 15 g salt; 10 ml oil; dip: 20 g ginger paste, 10 g scallions, 5 g sand ginger powder, 15 ml oyster sauce, hot oil.
Steps: 1) Stuff with ginger and scallions, rub with salt and oil, rest 10 minutes. 2) Poach at 90–95 °C for 18–20 minutes, then steep covered 30 minutes. 3) Verify thigh at 75 °C or above. 4) Ice bath 10 minutes, brush with hot oil. 5) Make the dip and carve at the joints.
ADVERTISEMENT — PLACEHOLDER
Related recipes
Hakka Sticky Rice
Steamed glutinous rice with pork, dried mushrooms and dried shrimp — savoury, filling and warming.
Satay Beef with Gai Lan
Tender beef slices in sweet-salty satay sauce, served over crisp gai lan — a quick stir-fry.
Newsletter note: the signup form on the homepage is a static placeholder and does not collect or send anything.
Source note: ingredients, quantities and steps are adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report for 白切鸡 (data/reports/21.md). The report's pricing, margin and marketing sections are deliberately omitted here; no B2B cost is presented as a home-cook cost. Original poster image: clouchef.com (白切鸡_21.jpeg). Serving size for home use (3–4), the free-range chicken note and the sand-ginger substitute are adaptations and are labelled as such.