Shallots, Ginger and Scallions: These are our typical southeast Asian aromatics to infuse into the chicken.
Turmeric powder: Turmeric powder is mixed with render chicken fat that gets brushed onto the finished chicken for a beautiful shiny finish. You can also use fresh turmeric root.
Preparations
Wash the chicken. While not all cultures advocate for washing chicken, here it is essential.
It’s common knowledge that washing chicken does not kill bacteria. Only cooking the chicken thoroughly will do that.
The purpose of washing the chicken is to remove any unpleasant poultry smell. It also eliminate any impurities on the skin’s surface, leaving it smooth and pristine. This is exactly what we want, especially when it’s used as a celebratory dish.
I’m using coarse sea salt to scrub the skin, followed by a thorough rinse and patting dry with paper towels.
Once washed and rinsed, the chicken is simply seasoned with salt and stuffed with aromatics (ginger, scallions, and shallots).
Poaching
To achieve its vibrant yellow hue, fresh or powder turmeric can be added to the boiling water. It evenly coats the chicken nicely. However, this method turns the water yellow with a strong turmeric smell. This is perfectly fine if you have no plans to use the chicken stock for other dishes.
A better approach is to render some of the excess chicken fat in a small frying pan. Add turmeric into it then brush this mixture onto the cooked chicken for a shiny yellow finish. You will still have clear chicken stock for use with other recipes.
It’s crucial to keep the skin intact for a more beautiful presentation. Traditionally, hot water is ladled onto the chicken before it’s fully submerged in boiling water. This process tightens the skin slowly, mitigating the shock that can cause the skin to tighten quickly and tear.
Another method involves briefly dipping the chicken, held by its neck, into boiling water for a few seconds to acclimate. Repeat this a few times, then slowly lower the chicken into the boiling water to gently poached.
Ice Bath for the Perfect Texture
After boiling, the chicken is immediately immersed in ice water to stop the cooking process. I’m not a big fan of making food cold, but this is an important step to tighten the skin for its signature texture and appearance.
Serving
The most traditional presentation involves simply placing the chicken on a platter.
For a more visually appealing presentation, the head can be propped upright with strings or wooden skewers.
Garnish the whole boiled chicken with thinly sliced strands of lime leaves or cilantro. This adds a citrusy aroma and complements the chicken very well. Serve chicken with a simple and traditional dipping sauce made from salt, ground pepper, and lime juice.
Pro-Tips
Use a larger pot to ensure the chicken is fully submerged for even cooking.
Get creative with dipping sauces. Use any one of these sauces for dipping:
The traditional salt, pepper and lime sauce
Vietnam’s all purpose dipping (Nước Chấm)
Ginger fish sauce (Nước Mắm Gừng)
a Chinese-style ginger scallion sauce or even straight out of the bottle hoisin sauce.
Related Posts
If you enjoy this recipe, you might enjoy these popular Vietnamese chicken recipes:
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