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Prep 5 minutesmins
Cook 25 minutesmins
Total 30 minutesmins
Juicy, tender, aromatic chicken drumsticks smothered in a delicious, fragrant ginger-scallion oil sauce. This incredibly easy chicken recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes!
Learn how to make an easy, juicy Chinese poached chicken with ginger scallion recipe in minutes! This recipe is a quick poached version of the famous Hainanese poached chicken. Instead of 1-2 hours, this recipe only takes 30 minutes to poach the chicken.
Made with only drumsticks, this chicken is poached in a ginger-scallion broth and topped with an incredibly aromatic, savory ginger-scallion sauce for double the ginger scallion flavor. Serve this dish with a side of white rice for a quick lunch or dinner!
Chinese poached chicken is a traditional Chinese dish in which the chicken is gently simmered in an aromatic ginger scallion broth until tender and juicy. In this recipe, the chicken is gently poached for 30 minutes until just cooked through, then shredded into bite-sized pieces.
The sauce is then made with more ginger and scallion, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil for an aromatic, savory, and deeply umami sauce. Serve this poached chicken with ginger-scallion sauce with a side of steamed rice or noodles. This dish is quick, easy, and incredibly satisfying for dinner on your busy weeknights.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients for this Chinese poached chicken with ginger-scallion sauce at your local Chinese grocery store. Full measurements and links to everything I used are in the recipe card below.
Poaching Liquid
Chicken Drumsticks: for the easiest, foolproof, and quick poached chicken.
Ginger and Green Onion: the main aromatics to make the broth.
Ginger Scallion Sauce
Vegetable oil: to bring out the rich flavors of the ginger and green onion.
Ginger and Green Onion: finely minced to create the base of the sauce.
Sugar: to balance the bold savory flavors.
Sesame Oil: For added nutty aromatic flavor.
Poaching Liquid: to create more aromatic, rich chicken, savory flavor.
Light soy sauce: adds a salty, umami soy sauce flavor.
Salt: to enhance the flavors of the sauce.
Substitutions and Additions
Substitutions
Bone in Chicken Thighs: you can alternatively use thighs. The cooking time may increase by a few minutes.
Oil alternatives: avocado oil, grapeseed, or canola oil.
Chicken stock: an alternative to poach the chicken instead of water for a deeper chicken flavor.
Soy sauce alternatives: tamari, or coconut aminos for gluten free alternatives.
Additions
Cilantro: for added freshness.
Garlic: for more aromatics in the broth and/or sauce.
Chili oil: in the sauce for added spice and heat. Here’s my chili oil recipe.
Ginger Scallion Sauce: Here’s my recipe for the classic ginger scallion sauce without soy sauce.
Crispy Shallots: as a garnish for more textures and flavors.
How to Make
Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make this Chinese poached chicken recipe.
Bring water, green onion, and ginger to a boil. Then lower the chicken and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat, cover, and let the chicken sit in the pot for 15 minutes. Remove and shred.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Then add the green onion and ginger, and sauté until fragrant. Combine the sugar, salt, poaching liquid, soy sauce, and sesame oil and bring to a simmer.
Serve the chicken over rice and top with the ginger scallion sauce. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Start with room temperature chicken: before you begin poaching, bring the chicken to room temperature for 20-30 minutes on the counter.
Cook the chicken at a low simmer: To prevent overcooking, cook it at a gentle simmer rather than a roaring boil.
Check the temperature: You will know if the chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C)
Remember the broth! Don’t forget to reserve some poaching broth for the ginger scallion sauce.
Storage Instructions
You can store any leftover Chinese poached chicken, separate from the ginger-scallion sauce, in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheat: microwave covered with a wet paper towel until warmed. Or, if you reserved the poaching liquid, warm the liquid and the chicken until heated through over medium heat.
Freeze: Freeze the chicken and ginger sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Pairing Suggestions
Chinese poached chicken with ginger scallion sauce can be served for lunch or dinner with a side of steamed white rice or with the following pairing suggestions.
Yes! You can use boneless chicken, and it will cook faster than bone-in pieces. However, the broth will not have as deep a flavor, and the chicken will not be as tender and juicy when poached.
What is the difference between poached chicken and boiled chicken?
Poaching chicken means cooking it at a gentle, low simmer for a longer period of time. Whereas, boiling chicken cooks it at a rolling boil and could cause it to tighten quickly.
Juicy, tender, aromatic chicken drumsticks smothered in a delicious, fragrant ginger-scallion oil sauce. This incredibly easy chicken recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes!
Cook the chicken. Bring 8 cups of water, green onion, and ginger to a boil. Then lower the chicken and bring it back to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and gently simmer for 10 minutes.
Shred the chicken. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the pot for an additional 15 minutes. Then remove and shred the chicken.
Cook the sauce. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat until hot. Then add the green onion and ginger, and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Then stir in the sugar, salt, poaching liquid, soy sauce, and sesame oil and bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Serve. Serve the chicken over rice and top with the ginger scallion sauce. Enjoy!
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