Cantonese Steamed Chicken & Chinese Sausage

CANTONESE STEAMED CHICKEN & CHINESE SAUSAGE

In a Cantonese household, you may have had steamed chicken with Chinese sausage on your dinner table at some point. Delicious and quick, it’s perfect for a busy weekday.

STEAMING CHICKEN

You may not have thought about steaming chicken before, but it’s a fantastic method of cooking it. “Waat” is a Cantonese word for “smooth.” Tapioca starch or cornstarch can be used to marinate the chicken before cooking.

Also, the steamed dish releases a lot of juice, creating a thin yet tasty sauce that is enticing with rice.

For both flavor and texture, we recommend boneless skinless chicken thighs over bone-in chicken (chicken drumettes and flats) or chicken breasts. Extend cooking time by about 3 minutes if using bone-in chicken chunks.

Try this one if you liked our last steamed chicken dish. The addition of lap cheung enhances the flavor and juiciness of the chicken.

Because Chinese sausage (lap cheong) comes in a variety of sizes, we recommend using 1-2 links. When in doubt, add more sausage slices, so you don’t have to fight with your family for the precious ones!

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 medium dried shiitake mushrooms, in hot water overnight
• 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken thighs (reduced to bite-sized pieces after being defatted)
• 1 chopped scallion
• 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch
• 1-2 links of Chinese sausage
• 1 teaspoon of Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Rinse the soaked shiitake mushrooms and cut them into thin slices to eliminate any remaining grit.
2. Add the chicken, the mushrooms, the water, the vegetable oil, the sesame oil, the Shaoxing wine, the oyster sauce, the sugar, the salt, the white pepper, the grated ginger, and the white parts of the scallions into a large bowl.
3. Chicken should be thoroughly soaked in liquid before it is ready to be served. The green parts of the scallions should be set aside. Cover the chicken with the marinade and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
4. After letting the chicken mixture come to room temperature, stir in the tapioca starch (or cornstarch) and cook till creamy and thick., about 20 to 30 minutes. At this stage, the chicken should have absorbed most of the liquid and only a small amount should remain.
5. For 10 minutes, fill a steamer with water so that it can steam without evaporation. Bring the mixture to a boil.
6. The chicken mixture should be transferred to a deep dish, such as a pie pan. Sprinkle a few slices of Chinese sausage over the chicken before serving.
7. Ten minutes of steaming at a medium-high temperature is sufficient. Turn off the heat and continue steaming the chicken for an additional 2 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed rice and green scallions.