Easy Steamed Salted Whole Chicken 簡易蒸鹽焗雞

Auntie Emilys Kitchen-Easy Steamed Salted Chicken2

Easy Steamed Salted Whole Chicken 簡易蒸鹽焗雞

All the chickens with head and feet that I’ve seen available at Asian supermarkets, are free range. With free range chickens, they tend to have less meat since they’re leaner and have a thicker skin. The thicker skin will make it more likely that the skin will look nice and intact after cooking. So it’s quite a good choice for festive occasions.

The following steaming time is for reference only. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.

• 900g-1350g……...25-35 minutes

• 1350g-1800g…….35-45 minutes

• 1800g-2300g…….45-60 minutes

Note: the steaming time assumes that the chicken has feet attached to help to keep the chicken cavity open for better heat distribution. If your chicken does not have feet attached, then you will need to add more time for steaming.

Approximate cost (CAD) $30

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 1 15

Total Time 2 10

Course Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Cantonese, Chinese

Servings Servings

Calories 185 kcal

Ingredients

1 Whole Chicken
1 tbsp Course salt
1 stalk Green onions
2 slices Ginger
1 Shallot , halved
1 Chinese sausage (optional), aka “lap cheung”
1 pkg Spicy Bake Mix aka baked chicken powder (Using the Spicy Bake Mix is quick, easy and tasty. But you can also rub the chicken with 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp white pepper powder for a simpler flavour)
½ tsp Tumeric powder
2 tbsp Oil

How to make ginger and green onion dipping sauce:

2 stalks Green onions , chopped
1 tbsp Ginger , minced
1 tsp Salt
3 tbsp Oil , hot

Combine the green onions, ginger and salt together in a bowl. Heat the oil until hot and pour it into the bowl. Mix well. If you have some of the Spicy Bake Mix left over, you can add some water to it to make a paste and substitute it for the salt.

Instructions

Wash the green onions and tie it into a knot and set aside
Cut the shallot in half and cut 2 slices of ginger. Set aside
Blanche the Chinese sausage for 30 seconds in boiling water. Remove from water and set aside
Take 1 tbsp of course salt and rub it over the chicken skin and the inside cavity, like you’re exfoliating it. Then submerse in large mixing bowl to rinse off salt.
Cut off the nails on the chicken feet with a knife or kitchen shears
Bend and fold the chicken feet into the cavity of the chicken to keep the cavity open as wide as possible.
Sit the chicken with the cavity down in a colander to drain all the water and air-dry the skin for 60 minutes. I find that drying it with a paper towel doesn’t dry it enough. If you’re in a hurry, I suggest drying it with a hairdryer for a few minutes This is a crucial step for achieving moist meat and the perfect skin
Combine one package of the Spicy Bake Mix with ½ tsp of turmeric powder the purpose of the turmeric is to add a yellow colour to the chicken
Rub the combined powders onto the skin of the chicken as well as inside the cavity If the skin of your chicken is so dry that the powders won’t stick to the chicken, make a paste with the powder using 1-2 tbsp of water or Shaoxing wine and then rub it on the chicken. An FAQ that I get is, “why don’t you marinade the chicken before letting it air-dry?” I find that the chicken will lose some of its juices and natural flavours if marinated for over 15 minutes, but this is my personal preference.
Put the knotted green onions, shallot, ginger and Chinese sausage into the cavity of the chicken The oil from the Chinese sausage will help flavour the chicken as well as keep the chicken moist
Rub 2 tbsp of oil onto the outside of the chicken This will prevent the skin from breaking and to help keep the flavour on the chicken
Place the chicken, breast side down, onto a steaming dish and prepare the steamer on high heat Use a steaming plate with a higher lip because you’ll likely get a good amount of juice from the chicken and steam water. Save the juice from the steaming plate to make a sauce or for noodles
When the water in the steamer boils, put the chicken into the steamer
Steam on high heat for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and steam for another 30 minutes. This is for a 4 lb or 1800g chicken. Refer to above reference guide for other weights
After total steaming time of 45 minutes, check the chicken for doneness. Insert a chopstick or toothpick into the thickest part of the chicken, like the thigh meat, and pull it out. If the juice that flows out is clear, then your chicken is done. If you see some red or pink, then steam for another 5 to 10 minutes and check again.
Once your chicken is done, remove the lid and let the chicken rest either in or out of the steamer for 15 minutes
After 15 minutes, transfer the chicken from the steaming plate to a dry one
If you are chopping up the chicken, it would be best to chop it up when it has cooled I chopped the one in the picture after 30 minutes and it was still a bit warm
You can also debone it to make a hand shredded chicken
Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 5gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 2319mgPotassium: 52mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 72IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Chicken, Chinese New Year, CNY, Steamed, Whole Chicken

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