Boiled chicken is a popular dish in Vietnamese family meals. Boiling chicken may seem simple, but not everyone can make it delicious and visually appealing.
Many people usually use lukewarm water to boil chicken. However, pouring water into the pot and then adding the chicken is not enough. You need to add some extra tips to make the boiled chicken more flavorful.
Choosing good chicken is the first step to making a delicious dish
Preparing the chicken
To save time, you can ask the seller to cut the chicken into pieces and remove all the feathers, then bring it home to prepare.
Rub salt all over the chicken, inside and out. Do not rub too hard, as it may tear the chicken skin. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then rinse it with clean water. The salt infused in the chicken will make the skin crispier. After that, put the chicken on a rack to let it drain.
Preparing other ingredients
While waiting for the chicken to drain, you should prepare other ingredients such as ginger and dried onions. These two ingredients will make the chicken more aromatic and remove any unpleasant smell.
Boiling the chicken
Add ginger and onions for a more aromatic flavor
Pour a certain amount of water into the pot and add some slices of dried onions and cleaned ginger. Heat the water until it’s slightly hot before adding the chicken. At this point, the aroma of ginger and onions will blend with the chicken, making it more fragrant and flavorful.
Instead of using cold water like usual, you should use warm water with ginger and onions to boil the chicken. Note that in order for the boiled chicken to look beautiful, evenly colored, and not be darkened, you need to fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken completely.
Boiling time
When the boiling water is ready, lower the heat. Cook the chicken in boiling water for about 5 minutes for a 1-2kg chicken; 7-10 minutes for a 2.5-4kg chicken. After that, turn off the heat and let the chicken soak in the pot for an additional 15-20 minutes.
For older chickens, the boiling time may be longer. From the time the water is boiling, the boiling time is 15 minutes on low heat.
Soaking the chicken in ice water
After the chicken is cooked, take it out and soak it in a bowl of ice water. The ice water will tighten the skin, make the meat firmer, and prevent the skin from darkening. When the chicken has completely cooled, take it out to drain the water.
Gorgeous and golden chicken
Add color to the chicken
While waiting for the chicken to cook, take some fresh turmeric, wash it clean, and pound it. Heat some cooking oil in a pan and add the turmeric, stirring well. Cook the turmeric on low heat until it thickens. We will use this turmeric oil to brush over the chicken. If there is chicken fat, it can be clarified to obtain the oil and continue cooking with turmeric.
Use a cooking brush or a clean paper towel to soak up the turmeric oil and brush a thin layer over the entire chicken for a beautiful golden color.
If you are using corn-fed chicken, you don’t need to do this step because corn-fed chicken usually has a naturally beautiful yellow skin.
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