CantoneseMedium 45 min serves 4

White Cut Chicken

Name: White Cut Chicken
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks; fresh ginger; scallions; water

白斩鸡 · bái zhǎn jī

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version uses whole chicken pieces (thighs + drumsticks) for easier handling and even cooking — no need for a whole bird or professional cleaver skills.

My aunt in Guangzhou made this every Lunar New Year’s Eve — she’d poach the chicken in ginger-scallion broth, then plunge it into ice water while humming Cantonese opera. She said the crisp skin and tender meat meant ‘a smooth start to the year’.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More chicken recipes →Quick & Easy Comfort Food

Ingredients

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks带骨带皮鸡腿肉和鸡翅中🛒 local800 g
fresh ginger生姜🛒 local50 g
scallions小葱🛒 local60 g
water清水🛒 local2000 ml

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks: Use thighs + drumsticks for best texture and juiciness; avoid breast-only cuts.

fresh ginger: Unpeeled is fine — just scrub well.

scallions: Use both white and green parts.

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Instructions

1Rinse chicken pieces under cold water. Place in a large pot with ginger slices, scallion lengths, and cold water to cover by 5 cm.
冷水下锅
🔍 Look for High heat 0 分钟 · 0 minutes
Visual: 水清冷，鸡肉完全浸没。Water is clear and cold; chicken fully submerged.
You know it's right when: 锅边初现小气泡。First bubbles appear at edges of pot.
Never add salt yet — it tightens muscle fibers and makes meat tough.
2Bring to a gentle simmer over high heat, then immediately reduce to low. Skim off any gray foam that rises to surface.
微沸即转小火
🔍 Look for Low heat 3–4 分钟 · 3–4 minutes
Visual: 水面泛起细密小泡，无剧烈翻滚。Tiny bubbles break softly at surface; no rolling boil.
You know it's right when: 撇沫两次后不再新生浮沫。Foam stops forming after skimming twice.
3Cover and poach gently for 25 minutes. Do not stir or lift lid unnecessarily.
盖盖焖煮
🔍 Look for Low heat 25 分钟 · 25 minutes
Visual: 水面仅微微颤动；蒸汽仅从锅盖边缘逸出。Surface barely trembles; steam escapes only from lid edge.
You know it's right when: 鸡腿最厚处测温达74°C（165°F）。Chicken thigh registers 74°C (165°F) when probed deeply.
4Turn off heat. Let chicken rest in hot liquid, covered, for 15 minutes.
关火焖浸
🔍 Look for 15 分钟 · 15 minutes
Visual: 汤面仍冒热气但无气泡。Liquid remains steaming but not bubbling.
You know it's right when: 鸡皮开始收紧、略呈半透明。Skin begins to tighten and turn translucent.
5Carefully remove chicken and submerge immediately into a large bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry thoroughly.
冰水激冷
🔍 Look for 10 分钟 · 10 minutes
Visual: 鸡皮光亮紧绷；肉质坚实而柔韧。Skin turns glossy and taut; flesh feels firm but yielding.
You know it's right when: 轻叩鸡皮发出清脆‘啪’声。Skin makes a light 'snap' sound when gently tapped.

Tips

· For authentic texture, never skip the ice bath — it locks in juices and firms the skin.
· Serve chilled or at cool room temperature — never warm.
· Pair with ginger-scallion oil: mix 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp finely minced ginger & scallion.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library

I only have 30 minutes. Which recipes should I pick?

Look for the 'Quick' filter (≤30 min) — tomato & egg, egg fried rice, scallion pancakes, beef & broccoli, and mapo tofu (if you have doubanjiang) all fit. Prep tip: mise-en-place everything first; the actual cooking is usually under 10 minutes.

Source: HǎoWèi recipe collection