Healthy Instant Pot HK Chicken (白切雞) by Amy + Jacky (2023)

White Cut Chicken白切雞,originated from Qing dynasty, is one of the easiest Chinese Chicken dishes to make.

Instant Pot White Cut Chicken is all about enjoying the simple comforting deliciousness of bouncy skin, tender, juicy & flavorful chicken meat drowned in fragrant Ginger Scallion Sauce.

In Chinese: 皮爽肉滑, 口感肥美嫩滑多汁! Yum!!?

Every Chinese New Year’s Eve 年三十晚 comes the most anticipated family meal of the year aka the Reunion Dinner 團年飯! We’d drop whatever plans we have to gather with family to enjoy the meal together as we step into the New Year.

Days leading up to CNYE, my family would prepare a spread of 8 main courses include chicken, fish, meat, fat choy 髮菜. We’d also prepare festive snacks, desserts, and sides like Nian Gao 年糕or Lo Bak Gou 蘿蔔糕!! 😀

Each of these dishes symbolize blessings for the family such as abundance, prosperity, happiness, or good health.

And White Cut Chicken白切雞 is a must every year!

During dinner, my dad would tell us fascinating stories from his childhood. How tough life was back in the days where his family was only able to afford to raise one chicken throughout the year.

When Chinese New Year came, they would joyously celebrate and cook the one and only chicken they had. And that was the only time they can enjoy meat.

Sometimes we forget how far we’ve come and how blessed we are now. The chicken we enjoy every Chinese New Year serves as a great reminder that our staples today were once their precious luxury treasures.

What is Poaching?

If you’ve enjoyed Poached Eggs before, then you’ve savored the heavenly deliciousness of Poaching. 🙂

The Deep Poaching Method involves cooking food submerged in liquid at a relatively low temperature.

This method allows the proteins to denature without pulling out too much moisture out of the food.That’s why poached food comes out so moist and tender!

Poaching is most commonly used for cooking delicate or fragile food that might easily fall apart or dry out using other cooking methods, such as eggs, fish, or poultry.

Cooking Tips for Instant Pot White Cut Chicken

1. Ensure Water Covers At Least 90% of the Chicken.

8 cups (2L) of Water is not a typo!

In this recipe, we’re using the deep poaching methodin the Instant Pot to cook the whole chicken. So it’s critical to ensure your whole chicken is fully submerges in the salted water.

2. Pressure Cook at High Pressure 0 Minute

Also not a typo! 🙂 How can this be?!

We’re setting the pressure cooking time to 0 (zero) minute because we’re using the heat generated during the “coming up to pressure” stage AND the “depressurizing” stage (i.e. during natural release) to cook the chicken.

Just remember to have your food thermometer ready to make sure the chicken’s internal thickest partreaches at least 165°F (74°C).

3. Use Good Quality Chicken

Since this Instant Pot White Cut Chicken is all about enjoying the simple chicken fragrance and fresh rich flavors, it’s important to choose a good quality chicken.

We don’t get the privilege to enjoy fresh chickens here, so we usually useFree Range Chicken 走地雞, “Yellow Skin” Chicken黃油雞, or Loong Kong Chicken 龍崗雞for richer and stronger chicken flavors.

Time for cooking White Cut Chicken in Instant Pot!

Step-by-Step Guide: Instant Pot White Cut Chicken

Prepare Ingredients for Instant Pot White Cut Chicken

• 2.8 – 3.6 pounds (1270 – 1633g) good quality whole chicken
• 2 tablespoons (30g) ginger, crushed and sliced
• 4 stalks green onions
• 2 tablespoons (~40g) fine sea salt or table salt
• 8 cups (2L) cold water

Serve With –Ginger Scallion Sauce薑蓉

• 1 stalk green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon (15g) ginger, grated
• 1 ½ tablespoon (22.5ml) peanut oil
• Salt to taste

*Pro Tip: 8 cups (2L) of cold water is not a typo as we’re using the Instant Pot Poaching Method.

Tools for Instant Pot White Chicken

• Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
• Kitchen Tongs
• Food Thermometer
• Large mixing bowl
• Saucepan

1

Pressure Cook Whole Chicken

Add 2 tbsp (~40g) fine sea salt, 4 stalks of green onions, 2 tbsp (30g) crushed ginger, and 8 cups (2L) of cold water to the Instant Pot.

With tongs, carefully submerge the whole chicken in the water.

*Pro Tip 1: Ensure the water covers at least 90% of the chicken.

Close lid and pressure cook at:

Pressure Cooking Method: High Pressure for 0 minute + Natural Release (18 – 22 minutes).

• For 2.8lbs (1270g) Whole Chickens: 18 minutes Natural Release
• For 3.2 lbs (1450g) Whole Chickens: 20 minutes Natural Release
• For 3.6 lbs (1633g) Whole Chickens: 22 minutes Natural Release

*Pro Tip 2:We’re setting the pressure cooking time to 0 (zero) minute. Yes!! It’s not a typo! The whole chicken will be cooked during the “coming up to pressure” stage AND the “depressurizing” stage (i.e. during natural release).

Open the lid carefully.

With tongs, carefully remove the chicken from Instant Pot.

*Pro Tip 3: Be very careful as there will be hot liquid in the chicken carcass.

Drain the hot chicken stock liquid in the chicken carcass.

2

Measure Temperature

Place the whole chicken on a large plate and measure temperature of the thickest part of chicken.

Make sure the temperature reaches at least 165°F (74°C).

*Pro Tip: If the thickest part is almost 165°F, you can just rest it on the plate and the carry over heat will continue to cook the whole chicken. If the thickest part is below 160°F, place chicken back into the hot liquid and close the lid for another 5 minutes.

3

Cool Chicken

Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water.

Completely submerge the chicken in ice water for 10 – 15 minutes.

4

Make Ginger Scallion Sauce薑蓉

Heat 1 ½ tbsp (22.5ml) peanut oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Place the freshly grated ginger in a small bowl.

Pour in 1 ½ tablespoon HOT peanut oil, 1 stalk of finely chopped green onions and mix well.

Add salt to taste (roughly ½ teaspoon).

5

Serve White Cut Chicken Recipe

Pat dry and chop the chicken to serve with Ginger Scallion Sauce.

*Pro Tip: White Cut Chicken is served in pieces with skin and bones. It may take some practices in the beginning to be able to chop the chicken beautifully like the Siu Mei Sifu 燒味師傅. 🙂 Start by chopping the chicken in half (as shown in photo below).

Dip your homemade Classic Cantonese Poached Chicken (White Cut Chicken) into the fragrant sauce and enjoy!!

*Pro Tip:Don’t throw away the chicken stock! It is very salty at this stage. Add in roughly 8 cups (2L) water to dilute it and use it for soup, salted chicken stock, bone broth, or cook other dishes.

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