boiling a chicken

Posted by cheesygrin (734 days ago)

I have never boiled a chicken before and was just wondering how to do it.

Do I need to prepare it in any special way beforehand?

How long does it take?

Can I use the water afterwards as stock?

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by raincatcher (733 days ago)

Put green onion and ginger inside the chicken. Bring the water to a boil and then put the chicken into the boiling water. Turn down the heat so that the water temperature keeps at 100 degree celcius. Cooking time really depends on the time of the chicken, but normally it takes about 45 minutes (+/-). And yes, you can use the water as stock afterwards.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Ruth at Clifford (733 days ago)

When I do this, I put some vinegar in the water too. Maybe 1/3 cup or so. Someone told me that it helps to leach the calcium out of the bones.

cheers from Ruth

(I am based in Guangzhou)

Posted by Claire P (732 days ago)

You can also add roughly chopped carrot, leek, celery, onion, peppercorns, bay leaf and parsely stalks for extra flavour in your stock!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by juicer (726 days ago)

I would recommend that you try Soy Chicken, boiled with a liberal dose of soy sauce. You can get recipes from everywhere, including the internet. When eaten cold it's almost undetectable from roast chicken, other than the fact that the fat in the chicken is easily identified and removed. It's a much healthier choice than other methods of cooking chicken.

Here's one I plucked from the internet earlier:-

1/2 cup vinegar
1 head of garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 chicken - cut up

In your slow cooker combine vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, salt and soy sauce. Add chicken. Cover and cook on high for one hour. Add water. Lower heat setting to low and cook for 4 to 5 hours.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by raincatcher (725 days ago)

You can buy ready made soy sauce for soy chicken from any supermarkets.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by cheesygrin (724 days ago)

I like the sound of the soy chicken - a bit of extra flavour but still healthy - only prob is I don't have a slow cooker - do you reckon I could just simmer it in a normal covered pot instead?

Thanks!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by raincatcher (724 days ago)

Yes, you can just use normal pot. No slow cooker is needed. If you want to make soy chicken sauce by scratch, be sure to add some sugar as it actually tastes a little (but not very) sweet. You may try to buy a serving of soy chicken from any Chinese restaurants or ParkNShop/Wellcome (from their cooked food section) to get a taste of what it's like before you make it yourself.

(I am based in Hong Kong)