Velvet Chicken

Name: Velvet Chicken
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 794 grams low-sodium chicken broth (3 1/2 cups); 1 leave Garnish: fresh cilantro; 237 milliliters Chinese rice wine* (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry Sherry; 2 inches thick) round slices fresh ginger; 4 inches (3- by fresh orange zest; 3 inches dried red chile; 6 servings Accompaniment: cooked rice or noodles; 1 bunch scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces; 1 Tbsp fine sea salt; 237 milliliters soy sauce; 237 milliliters dark soy sauce* (see cooks note, below); 57 grams 1/4 cup coarsely crushed yellow rock sugar* or 1/4 cup packed brown sugar; 1 kilograms whole chicken; 2 teaspoons whole star anise; 1 teaspoons Sichuan or black peppercorns

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Velvet Chicken a try. Watching your figure? This gluten free and dairy free recipe has 369 calories, 29g of protein, and 17g of fat per serving. This recipe covers 16% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe serves 6. Head to the store and pick up coarsely rock sugar, garnish: cilantro leaves, accompaniment: rice, and a few other things to make it today. To use up the sea salt you could follow this main course with the Raspberry Sea Salt Brownies as a dessert. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 45 minutes.

Instructions

Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Chicken

Combine remaining ingredients in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot and bring to a boil.

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add chicken, breast side down, and reduce heat to a simmer. (Chicken may not be completely covered with liquid.) Cook, covered, 15 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Chicken

Turn off heat and let chicken stand, covered, 30 minutes. Turn chicken over, then cover and let stand 15 minutes more. (Chicken will be cooked through.)

Ingredients you will need

Whole Chicken

Transfer chicken to a cutting board, reserving cooking liquid.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Chicken

Equipment you will use

Cutting Board

Cut off drumsticks and thighs, then cut off wings, transferring pieces to a serving platter. (Chicken will release juices.) Separate breast (with rib cage) from back, discarding back.

Ingredients you will need

Chicken Drumsticks

Whole Chicken

Chicken Wings

Using a cleaver or other sharp large heavy knife, cut breast against grain through bone into 1-inch-thick slices.

Ingredients you will need

Bone

Equipment you will use

Cleaver

Knife

Spoon some of warm poaching liquid over chicken and serve chicken warm, chilled, or at room temperature.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Chicken

Pour remaining poaching liquid through a sieve set into a bowl and serve additional poaching liquid as a sauce if desired, then reserve remaining liquid to use again.

Ingredients you will need

Sauce

Equipment you will use

Sieve

Bowl

• Dark soy sauce gives a deeper color to this dish. If it's unavailable, additional regular soy sauce is an acceptable substitute. • Chicken keeps, covered and chilled, 2 days. • Leftover poaching liquid keeps, chilled, in an airtight container 1 week, or frozen 3 months. Thaw if necessary and bring to a boil before using.* Available at Kam Man Food Products (212-571-0330).

Ingredients you will need

Soy Sauce