*Chicken


Serves: 5

Ingredients

Directions:

Chicken cooked Chinese-style may be stir-fried, deep-fried, steamed, poached, braised, simmered (both with and without soy sauce), roasted, jellied or smoked. Often it is cooked by a combination of methods: the chicken may be simmered and roasted or steamed and deep-fried. This was designed originally to shorten cooking time and so conserve fuel. It has the added advantage of retaining the bird's inner tenderness while its exterior turns quickly crisp and golden. (The hearts are split in two and spread open the gizzards are cut with horizontal slashes about 1/16 of an inch apart, then cut across, with a single vertical slash so that they open like flowers.) When properly cooked, they are crunchy, yet tender. Gizzards and hearts are also slow-cooked by braising and simmering.

Poultry is cooked both whole and in parts. One chicken can be used for several dishes: the legs and wings steamed or braised, the breast stir-fried, and the remainder cooked in congee or soup. Characteristically, every part of the bird is used: white meat, dark meat, liver, giblets, wings, back and bones.
Chicken wings, livers, gizzards and hearts are all considered delicacies.

The wings, deep-fried, simmered or braised, are eaten both hot and cold. Their meat, being close to the bone, is particularly sweet and delectable. Chicken livers are stir-fried, deep-fried or simmered. Gizzards and hearts, if scored and parboiled first, can be used in place of chicken livers in any recipe.

COOKING TECHNIQUES AND SUITABLE CUTS OF CHICKEN

* Stir-Frying (sliced, cut in strips, or diced): white meat chicken, tender dark meat also chicken livers and giblets.
* Deep-Frying (whole, disjointed, or cubed): spring chicken, 2-3 pounds also chicken livers and giblets.
* Braising (whole, disjointed or chopped in 2-inch sections): spring chicken, 2-3 pounds also chicken giblets.
* White-Simmering (whole or disjointed): young hens.
* Red-Simmering (whole or disjointed): young hens larger birds, 4-6 pounds.
* Steaming (whole, disjointed, chopped in 2-inch sections, slivered or minced): spring chickens, 2-3 pounds.
* Roasting (whole): larger birds, 4-6 pounds.
* For Soups and Congees: whole fowl, 4-6 pounds, backs and bones, also chicken giblets.
* For Chicken Velvet: chicken breast, minced.


NOTE: Spring chickens, or fryers, having little fat of their own, must be cooked in someone else's fat-that is, lard or oil-and so are used in stir-fried, braised and deep-fried dishes. Older, larger birds, being more plump, can stew nicely in their own juices and so are more suitable for slow-simmered dishes and soups.

TIPS ON CHICKEN:
Always wipe the chicken with a damp cloth. Better still, rinse the bird inside and out with warm water, then dry thoroughly either by blotting with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible, or by suspending the bird in a cool, airy place for an hour or two. This will remove oil from the skin and enable the chicken to absorb more flavor during cooking.

When browning whole poultry, always truss the bird first (see HOW-TO, "_Poultry: To truss") to make it more manageable. If you tie an extra loop on the string, you'll have a convenient "handle" for turning the bird.

Chicken cooked in soup can also be used for stir-fried, white-cut and jellied chicken dishes, provided it has not been overcooked. The meat should be firm in texture, never soft and soggy.

TIPS ON STIR-FRYING CHICKEN:
Although tender dark-meat chicken may be used for stir-frying, the white meat from the breast is best. The breast is simple to bone and easy to use. Remove the skin as well as the bones, but don't discard reserve both for soup. Slice the meat thin and cut in 1/2-inch cubes or strips.

Pork can be substituted for chicken in any stir-fried recipe. For every 1 1/2 cups of chicken meat, use 1 cup of diced lean pork and a set of diced chicken giblets. (Pork, however, needs longer cooking.)

To keep chicken from sticking to the pan during stir-frying, soak a few minutes in lightly salted water after slicing. Then drain well.

Stir-frying can damage the delicate texture of chicken meat. Instead of vigorous stir-frying, toss the chicken in hot oil for only half a minute. Then press against the sides of the pan a minute or two, until the chicken loses its pinkness. Sprinkle with a bit of sherry. Then turn chicken over and repeat.

When stir-frying cooked chicken, add it to the pan at the very end of cooking, only to heat through, so that it remains velvety, juicy and tender. If added too soon, the chicken can overcook and either crumble or become stringy.

The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

This *Chicken recipe is from the Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.


More Recipes from the Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook Cookbook:
*Chicken
*Deep-Fried Chicken
*Steamed Chicken
*White Cut Chicken
Basic Braised Chicken
Basic Roast Chicken
Basic Steamed Fowl
Basic Steamed Spring Chicken
Basic Stir-Fried Chicken I
Basic Stir-Fried Chicken I and II: Suggested Vegetable Combinations ( 1-6)
Basic Stir-Fried Chicken I and II: Suggested Vegetable Combinations ( 7-10)
Basic Stir-Fried Chicken I and II: Suggested Vegetable Combinations (11-14)
Basic Stir-Fried Chicken II
Basic Stir-Fried Cooked Chicken
Basic Stir-Fried Cooked Chicken: Suggested Vegetable Combinations (1-3)
Basic Stir-Fried Cooked Chicken: Suggested Vegetable Combinations (4-5)
Black Mushroom Chicken, Deep-Fried And Braised
Boneless Roast Chicken Stuffed With Pork
Braised Black Mushroom Chicken
Braised Chestnut Chicken
Braised Chicken And Potatoes I
Braised Chicken And Potatoes II
Braised Chicken Balls And Oyster Sauce
Braised Chicken Breast
Braised Chicken Gizzards
Braised Chicken Wings With Black Bean Sauce
Braised Chicken With Dried Chestnuts
Braised Chicken With Fresh Mushrooms I
Braised Chicken With Fresh Mushrooms II
Braised Chicken With Red Dates And Bacon
Braised Curried Chicken I
Braised Curried Chicken II
Braised Curried Chicken With Anise
Braised Ginger Chicken I
Braised Ginger Chicken II
Braised Honey Chicken
Braised Lily Bud Chicken I
Braised Lily Bud Chicken II
Braised Whole Chicken
Chicken Livers Simmered In Oyster Sauce
Chicken Velvet And Corn
Chicken Velvet Sautéed
Chicken Velvet: Basic Preparation
Deep-Fried And Steamed Chicken With Pineapple
Deep-Fried Chicken Balls With Lichee Sauce
Deep-Fried Chicken Cubes With Curry
Deep-Fried Chicken Cubes Wrapped in Bacon
Deep-Fried Chicken Gizzards
Deep-Fried Chicken Halves
Deep-Fried Chicken Livers
Deep-Fried Chicken À La Peking Duck
Deep-Fried Cubed And Marinated Chicken
Deep-Fried Cubed Chicken
Deep-Fried Eight-Piece Chicken
Deep-Fried Gold Coin Chicken I
Deep-Fried Gold Coin Chicken II
Deep-Fried Paper-Wrapped Chicken
Deep-Fried Peking Chicken
Deep-Fried Squab
Deep-Fried Steamed Aromatic Squab
Deep-Fried Sweet-and-Pungent Chicken
Deep-Fried Sweet-and-Pungent Chicken Wings
Deep-Fried Whole Chicken
Drunken Chicken I
Drunken Chicken II
Drunken Chicken III
Jellied Chicken
Marinated And Deep-Fried Chicken Livers
Red-Cooked Deep-Fried Squab
Red-Cooked Or Soy Chicken I
Red-Cooked Or Soy Chicken II
Red-Cooked Or Soy Chicken III
Red-Cooked Spiced Chicken
Red-Stewed Chicken I
Red-Stewed Chicken II
Roast Chicken Stuffed With Chestnuts And Dried Mushrooms
Roast Chicken Stuffed With Fresh Mushrooms
Roast Chicken, Liquid-Filled
Roast Turkey
Salt Roasted Chicken I
Salt Roasted Chicken II
Simmered And Deep-Fried Chicken
Simmered And Deep-Fried Chicken Livers
Simmered And Deep-Fried Chicken Stuffed With Glutinous Rice I
Simmered And Deep-Fried Chicken Stuffed With Glutinous Rice II
Simmered And Roasted Chicken
Simmered Chicken Giblets And Bean Curd
Simmered Chicken Livers
Smoked Chicken
Steamed And Deep-Fried Chicken And Glutinous Rice
Steamed And Deep-Fried Chicken Stuffed With Glutinous Rice
Steamed And Deep-Fried Chicken Wings
Steamed And Deep-Fried Chicken With Nutmeats
Steamed Chicken And Grass Mushrooms
Steamed Chicken And Ham
Steamed Chicken And Mushrooms
Steamed Chicken Stuffed With Lobster
Steamed Chicken With Anise
Steamed Chicken and Asparagus
Steamed Chicken and Chinese Sausage
Steamed Chicken, Banquet Style
Steamed Deep-Fried Squab
Steamed Minced Chicken And Ham
Steamed Slivered Chicken And Vegetables
Steamed Squabs Stuffed With Bird's Nest
Stir-Fried Chicken And Asparagus
Stir-Fried Chicken And Bamboo Shoots
Stir-Fried Chicken And Bean Sprouts
Stir-Fried Chicken And Bitter Melon
Stir-Fried Chicken And Button Mushrooms
Stir-Fried Chicken And Chinese Cabbage Hearts
Stir-Fried Chicken And Hot Peppers I
Stir-Fried Chicken And Hot Peppers II
Stir-Fried Chicken And Leeks
Stir-Fried Chicken And Oyster Sauce I
Stir-Fried Chicken And Oyster Sauce II
Stir-Fried Chicken And Peanuts I
Stir-Fried Chicken And Peanuts II
Stir-Fried Chicken And Peppers I
Stir-Fried Chicken And Peppers II
Stir-Fried Chicken And Pineapple I
Stir-Fried Chicken And Pineapple II
Stir-Fried Chicken And Snow Peas
Stir-Fried Chicken And Tomatoes I
Stir-Fried Chicken And Tomatoes II
Stir-Fried Chicken And Tomatoes With Black Beans
Stir-Fried Chicken And Walnuts
Stir-Fried Chicken Livers And Gizzards With Mushrooms
Stir-Fried Chicken Livers With Bamboo Shoots
Stir-Fried Chicken Livers With Oyster Sauce
Stir-Fried Chicken Livers With Pineapple
Stir-Fried Chicken Livers With Snow Peas
Stir-Fried Chicken With Almonds And Vegetables
Stir-Fried Chicken With Almonds And Water Chestnuts
Stir-Fried Chicken With Eggplant And Hot Peppers
Stir-Fried Chicken With Pineapple And Lichee Fruit
Stir-Fried Chicken With Pork And Vegetables
Stir-Fried Chicken With Rice-Flour Noodles
Stir-Fried Chicken With Soy Jam
Stir-Fried Cooked Chicken And Pineapple
Stir-Fried Cooked Marinated Chicken
Stir-Fried Curried Chicken
Stir-Fried Deep-Fried Chicken And Peppers
Stir-Fried Deep-Fried Chicken With Brown Bean Sauce
Stir-Fried Deep-Fried Chicken With Soybean Paste
Stir-Fried Sweet-and-Pungent Chicken
Stir-Fried Sweet-and-Pungent Chicken Livers I
Stir-Fried Sweet-and-Pungent Chicken Livers II
White Cut Chicken And Vegetables
White Cut Chicken Breast
White Cut Chicken, Pullet
White Cut Chicken, Stewing Fowl
White Cut Chicken, Young Bird
White- And Red-Cooked Chicken
White- and Red-Cooked Stuffed Chicken Wings
White-Cooked Chicken And Curry I
White-Cooked Chicken And Curry II
White-Cooked Chicken And Tomatoes
White-Cooked Chicken In Soup I
White-Cooked Chicken In Soup II
White-Cooked Chicken With Mushrooms And Peas




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