Poached Chicken with Shallot Oil Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 lb Chicken breast or thighs (boneless, skinless or bone-in)
• 4 cup Water (enough to submerge chicken)
• 1 inch Ginger (sliced for poaching liquid)
• 2 Scallions (cut into lengths for poaching)
• 1 Shallot (halved for poaching liquid)
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp Neutral oil (for frying aromatics)
• 2 Shallots (finely sliced for the sauce)
• 2 clove Garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp Ginger (finely minced for the sauce)
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Water (to thin the sauce)
• 0.5 tsp Sugar

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the poaching liquid by combining water, sliced ginger, scallions, a halved shallot, Shaoxing wine, and salt in a pot.

2. 2

   Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat.

3. 3

   Add the chicken to the pot, ensuring it is fully submerged. Simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and juicy, about 12-15 minutes depending on thickness.

4. 4

   While the chicken cooks, prepare the aromatics for the sauce by finely slicing the remaining shallots and mincing the garlic and ginger.

5. 5

   Heat neutral oil in a small pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots, minced garlic, and minced ginger.

6. 6

   Fry the aromatics until they are golden brown and fragrant.

7. 7

   Remove the fried aromatics from the oil and set them aside.

8. 8

   In a small bowl, combine the flavored frying oil with soy sauce, oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of water, and sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.

9. 9

   Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and shred or slice it into bite-sized pieces.

10. 10

    Arrange the chicken on a serving plate and pour the prepared shallot oil sauce over the top.

11. 11

    Garnish with the reserved fried shallots, garlic, and ginger. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

For the silkiest texture, do not let the water reach a rolling boil; a gentle simmer is key for poaching chicken. You can use the leftover poaching liquid as a base for a light soup.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• poached
• easy
• quick
• dinner
• healthy