HULATOWN POACHED CHICKEN COPYWRITE PENDING
I learned this method of cooking a chicken many years ago, from an old Chinese Chef I worked with who, at the time, was working at Trader Vic’s Restaurant. He is now cooking in heaven but if I have my way, his recipe will live on. This method of poaching chicken works just perfect in things like Chicken Ala King, Chicken Salad and Chicken Curries. It is of course used in many many Chinese dishes, with noodles etc. Always add the cooked chicken last.
1 whole chicken, at room temperature, water to cover, wing tips removed
1 carrot, stripped and chopped
1 med onion peeled and quartered
1 large stalk celery, chopped
parsley scraps, Chinese or otherwise
Wash the chicken and everything it comes in contact with.
- In a pot large enough to hold the chicken and vegetables, bring to a rolling boil, enough water to cover. Add the whole chicken, adding water if needed to cover and then add the vegetables. Allow the water to come back to a full boil for two [2] minutes then,
Turn off the burner, BUT LEAVE THE CHICKEN, IN THE POT, IN THE LIQUID, ON THE TURNED OFF BURNER, put the lid on securely and,
do not move or lift the lid, for one [1] hour
- After this one hour, the chicken is COOKED and ready for use. Remove chicken from liquid and place on platter to cool. When cool, remove all meat from the carcass and store for use, then return skin and all bones, tail, neck, heart and stripped carcass to the vegetables and liquid and slow boil to reduce to half to make a perfect starter chicken stock for soup. (break the bones if they won’t fit the pot.) The meat, cut into bite size, is ready for use right then and I recommend Chicken Ala King with pimentos and steamed white rice. Or, a Chicken Curry with coconut milk and chutney, or a chicken salad and or sandwich, or use in a chinese stir fry with veggies. MAHALO AND ALOHA.
Don Mc Diarmid Jr.
hula1@hawaii.rr.com