151 minutes
A flavorful dish featuring tender shredded chicken with a vibrant ginger-scallion sauce, garnished with cilantro, red onion, and sesame seeds.
Chicken Drumsticks Or Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, raw
0 lb
cups
Fresh Ginger, ⅛-inch-thick
slices
Scallion, cut in half crosswise
each
Scallions, finely chopped, white parts only
tablespoons
Garlic, minced
tablespoons
Fresh Ginger, minced
tablespoons
Thai Birds Eye Chilies, finely chopped, optional
each
tablespoons
tablespoons
teaspoons
Oyster sauce
teaspoons
teaspoons
Ground Sichuan Peppercorns
teaspoons
teaspoons
Red Onion, thinly sliced
each
Fresh Cilantro, chopped
cups
teaspoons
to taste
1. Prepare Chicken
Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 1 to 2 hours to help it cook more evenly.
2. Boil Chicken
In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil with the ginger slices and the halved scallion. Once boiling, gently lower the chicken into the pot. Bring it back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 9 to 11 minutes if using drumsticks or 3 to 5 minutes if using breasts. Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the hot water for another 10 to 15 minutes to ensure it's cooked through without drying out. The chicken is done when the juices run clear when pierced with a knife.
3. Cool and Shred Chicken
Transfer the chicken to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Once cool, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set it aside on a serving plate.
4. Prepare Sauce
In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the finely chopped scallions, minced garlic, minced ginger, and finely chopped Thai bird’s-eye chilies if using.
5. Heat Oil and Assemble Sauce
Heat the neutral oil in a wok or small saucepan until it’s shimmering but not smoking. Carefully pour the hot oil over the aromatic mixture in the bowl. Stir in the light soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, ground Sichuan peppercorns, and sugar until well combined.
6. Toss Chicken with Sauce
Toss the shredded chicken with the sauce until it’s evenly coated. Add the thinly sliced red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds. Season with fine sea salt to taste, and mix everything together gently.
Replace the chicken with a firm white fish, such as cod or halibut, and steam or poach it gently before shredding or flaking. The delicate flavor of the fish will pair beautifully with the ginger and scallions.
Use the ginger-scallion sauce as a base for a noodle dish. Boil your choice of noodles – whether it's ramen, rice noodles, or spaghetti – and toss them with the flavorful sauce. Add shredded chicken or another protein like tofu or shrimp.
Incorporate a citrus element to the ginger-scallion sauce. The zest and juice of an orange or a lemon can brighten the flavors and add a new dimension. You can also poach the chicken with a few slices of citrus to infuse it with this flavor.
Swap out the chicken for pork loin or shoulder, which you can cook and then shred or slice thinly. Pork's natural fattiness provides a rich counterpart to the zingy ginger-scallion sauce.
Introduce a different type of heat by using Szechuan peppercorns, wasabi, or a dab of chili oil in place of or in addition to any existing spice. This can transform the profile from simply spicy to numbingly aromatic or with a slow-building heat.
Use fresh ingredients and balance the sauce with soy sauce, sesame oil, and a hint of sweetness, adjusting to taste.
Opt for organic or free-range chickens if possible, using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts for better flavor and juiciness.
Taste and adjust the seasoning of the sauce, aiming for a blend of salty, aromatic, and a hint of sweetness, with a touch of acidity.
Infuse the poaching water with aromatics like ginger, garlic, green onions, and optional spices like Sichuan peppercorns or star anise.
Gently poach the chicken and use a thermometer to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, then let it rest off the heat for a few minutes.
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