White Cut Chicken

also called bak chit gai · baak cit gai · 白切雞 · white cooked chicken · poached chicken · plain chicken

The table

3 1/2 lb(1.6 kg)whole chickenpoach 30 min off the heat, lid onchill in an ice bath 15 min, until the skin draws tightrest 20 min, rub with sesame oil, chop
4 qt(3.8 L)water
6 slices(coin-sized)fresh ginger
3(knotted)scallions
2 Tbskosher salt
4 qt(3.8 L; half of it ice)iced water
2 tsptoasted sesame oil
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.8 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1poach 30 min off the heat, lid on

2chill in an ice bath 15 min, until the skin draws tight

goes in with what step 1 made

3rest 20 min, rub with sesame oil, chop

goes in with what step 2 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
1 hr 5 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
none of itthe rest you can walk away from

The recipe itself says 1 hr 30 min.

  1. poach 30 min off the heat, lid on

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. chill in an ice bath 15 min, until the skin draws tight

    15 minwalk away30 min in

  3. rest 20 min, rub with sesame oil, chop

    20 minwalk away45 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need stockpot

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: White Cut Chicken
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: chicken, chinese, poached, cold plate, ginger
>> counters: Dim Sum Counter
>> aka: bak chit gai, baak cit gai, 白切雞, white cooked chicken, poached chicken, plain chicken
>> pairs-with: ginger-scallion-oil
>> servings: 4
>> time: 1 hr 30 min
>> step.1: poach 30 min off the heat, lid on
>> step.2: chill in an ice bath 15 min, until the skin draws tight
>> step.3: rest 20 min, rub with sesame oil, chop

Poach @whole chicken{3 1/2%lb}(1.6 kg) breast-down in a #stockpot{} of @water{4%qt}(3.8 L) brought to the boil with @fresh ginger{6%slices}(coin-sized), @scallions{3}(knotted) and @kosher salt{2%Tbs}: bring it back to a tremble, put the lid on, take the pot off the heat altogether and leave it ~poach{30%min}. Boiling shreds the breast and clouds the skin.

Lift @&(~1)chicken{} straight into @iced water{4%qt}(3.8 L; half of it ice) and ~chill{15%min}. The shock is the whole point — it draws the skin tight and sets the layer of fat under it to a jelly.

Drain @&(~1)chicken{}, ~rest{20%min} on a rack, rub it over with @toasted sesame oil{2%tsp}, and chop it through the bone. It is served at room temperature, and it is served with ginger-scallion oil — plain chicken and a bowl of the relish are one dish, not a dish and a sauce.