Ginger Scallion Chicken
Gently poached chicken breasts, sliced and spooned with a sizzling ginger and spring onion oil, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Four servings in 35 minutes.
Photograph credit: Crispy Chicken, Pasture Raised Local Chicken, Scallion Ginger Vinaigrette, Bean Sprouts by T.Tseng · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Where This Goes Wrong
Use a pan with a tight lid so that the heat stays in while the chicken sits.
If a piece is still pink in the middle, return it to the hot water for 3 minutes.
Pour the oil carefully and keep your face back; it spits when it meets the ginger.
Cooking Ginger Scallion Chicken
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Put the water and sliced ginger in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
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Lower in the chicken and bring back to a gentle simmer. Cover, cook for 2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 15 minutes, until the centre of the thickest piece reaches 74°C.
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Meanwhile, put the grated ginger, spring onions, vinegar, sesame oil and white pepper in a heatproof bowl.
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Heat the neutral oil in a small pan for 2 minutes, until very hot, and pour it over the mixture; it will sizzle. Lift out the chicken, slice it and spoon over the sauce.
Why It Works
Ginger, spring onions, hot oil and a poached chicken breast. That is all. The sauce is made by pouring hot oil over raw ginger and spring onions, which cooks them in seconds and releases their perfume into the oil.
Poach the chicken gently. Never let the water boil hard once the chicken is in, because rapid boiling toughens the fibres. Bring it to a simmer, cover and switch off the heat, and the residual heat cooks the breast through while keeping it moist. It needs about 15 minutes. A thermometer settles any doubt.
Many versions of this sauce are heavily salted. Here it relies on the ginger, a splash of rice vinegar and a little sesame oil, and it still tastes complete. Add the vinegar last, so it stays sharp. Spoon it over the sliced chicken and plain rice. Any left over is good stirred into noodles. Keep the sauce at room temperature, not fridge-cold, so that the oil stays fluid.
Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days; keep the sauce in a separate jar and serve at room temperature.
If You're Missing Something
- Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
- A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
Serving Ginger Scallion Chicken
- Steamed white rice
- Sliced cucumber
- Steamed cabbage
Still Wondering?
How long does Ginger Scallion Chicken take to make?
About 35 minutes in total — 15 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Ginger Scallion Chicken?
Use a pan with a tight lid so that the heat stays in while the chicken sits. If a piece is still pink in the middle, return it to the hot water for 3 minutes. Pour the oil carefully and keep your face back; it spits when it meets the ginger.
What should I serve with Ginger Scallion Chicken?
Steamed white rice; Sliced cucumber; Steamed cabbage.
How should Ginger Scallion Chicken be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days; keep the sauce in a separate jar and serve at room temperature.
Is Ginger Scallion Chicken suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, kidney-friendly, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Ginger Scallion Chicken?
About 256 kcal per serving, with 25 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate and 16 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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