Poached Whole Chicken with Shoyu-Ginger Dipping Sauce

This results in a moist and succulent chicken with a soothing broth that takes on the nuances of the dipping sauce and provides you with the perfect bowl of soup to finish off with.

Total Time:  1 hour, 10 minutes (largely unattended)
Makes:  4 servings

Ingredients

Chicken:
  • 1 whole chicken
  • 2" piece of fresh ginger, sliced into medallions (no need to remove the skin)
  • 1 large bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped (reserve 1 tablespoon for the sauce and a bit for garnish)
  • Water
  • 1 large bunch of mustard greens, washed and sliced 1" crosswise
  • Salt & black pepper to taste
Shoyu-Ginger Dipping Sauce:
  • ¼ cup low-sodium shoyu
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, minced (about ½ teaspoon)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Small splash of sesame oil (about ½ teaspoon)
  • 1 tablespoon finely sliced green onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • Dash of black pepper

Directions

Use a large pot or Dutch oven that will fit the whole chicken, along with enough cold water to fully immerse the chicken.  Prep the chicken by removing the organs from the carcass.  Trim any excess fat and skin from the opening and stuff with the sliced ginger and chopped cilantro.  Carefully place into the cold water, then heat on the stove top at medium high, cover and leave alone for 20 minutes.  Remove cover and skim off any foam that may have developed.  Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook uncovered for another 30-40 minutes.

For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl or sauce cup.  Add ½ cup of the stewing liquid and stir to combine.  Place a bit of sauce into individual sauce holders and set aside.

Turn off the heat and place the chicken onto a cutting board.  Add the sliced mustard greens to the broth.  Remove all the skin from the chicken and then cut into appropriate portions.  To serve, place a piece of chicken into a shallow bowl, ladle broth (with mustard greens) into the bowl and sprinkle with cilantro.  Add salt and black pepper to taste.  Everyone can dip the chicken into the sauce.  A little of the sauce will inevitably drip into the broth and that just makes it better.

Recipe created by Personal Chef Michi Harris