✅ I. Ingredient List 📝
Making Qingping Chicken emphasizes the original flavor, so the freshness and quality of the ingredients are key to success.
Category | Ingredient | Specification & Quantity |
---|---|---|
Main | Sanhuang Chicken / Qingyuan Chicken | 1 (approx. 1000-1200g) 🐔 |
Broth Aromatics | Ginger | 20g (approx. 4-5 slices) |
Green Onions (Scallions) | 2 stalks | |
Cooking Wine | 15 ml 🍶 | |
Water | Enough to submerge the whole chicken | |
Shocking | Ice Water | 1 large basin |
Glazing | Sesame Oil | As needed |
✅ II. Instructions 🔪
- .Preparation:
- •Thoroughly clean the chicken inside and out, remove the innards and any residual blood, then drain and set aside.
- •Slice part of the ginger (for poaching), and mince the other part into a fine paste (for the dipping sauce). Tie part of the green onions into a knot (for poaching), and chop the other part into green onion flakes (for the dipping sauce).
- Three-Dip-Three-Cool (Key Step):
- •Bring a large pot of water to a boil—enough to completely submerge the whole chicken. You can add a little salt to the water for base flavor.
- •Once the water is boiling vigorously, hold the chicken by the head or feet, fully submerge it in the boiling water for 5 seconds, then quickly lift it out and immediately plunge it into the prepared ice water to cool completely. Repeat this process 3 times. This step causes the chicken skin to contract suddenly from the cold, resulting in a crispy skin and tender meat.
- Poaching & Steeping:
- •Place the chicken that has been dipped three times into the pot. Add enough cold (or warm) water to submerge the chicken.
- •Add the ginger slices, knotted green onions, and 15 ml cooking wine.
- •Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a low heat, keeping the water at a gentle simmer (small bubbles, not a rolling boil). Cook for 20 minutes.
- •After the time is up, turn off the heat. Do not remove the lid. Let the chicken continue to cook using the residual heat for another 15 minutes. To check if it’s done, poke the thickest part of the thigh with a chopstick; if no blood comes out, it’s cooked through.
- Ice Bath Shocking:
- •Quickly remove the cooked chicken and immediately immerse it in the ice water to cool it down completely. Soak for about 20-30 minutes. This step is crucial for achieving Qingping Chicken’s crispy skin, firm texture, and forming the delicious gelatinous layer.
- Chopping & Plating:
- •Remove the completely cooled chicken from the ice water and drain well.
- •Evenly brush a layer of sesame oil over the chicken skin to add shine and aroma.
- •Traditionally, chop the chicken into suitably sized pieces, then arrange them on a serving plate.
✅ III. Dipping Sauce & Nutrition Info 📊
An authentic dipping sauce is the perfect finishing touch for Qingping Chicken’s flavor.
Sauce Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
---|---|---|
Minced Ginger | 15g | Mince as finely as possible |
Chopped Green Onions | 10g | Use the green parts |
Salt | 3g | ~1/2 tsp |
Sugar | 2g | ~1/3 tsp, for umami |
White Pepper | 1g | ~1/4 tsp |
Cooking Oil | 20ml | Heat until smoking before pouring |