Chinese Smoked Chicken (熏鸡)

Method17 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Put the 1 tsp Sichuan pepper, ½ star anise, ½ tsp raw sesame seeds, ¼ tsp fennel seeds and 4 tsp salt into a cold dry pan. Remove any black Sichuan-pepper seeds and brown star-anise seeds first. Toast over low heat, stirring, until fragrant and the salt turns slightly yellow. If the sesame seeds are already toasted, keep them aside for the next step.

   Uses 1 teaspoon Sichuan pepper (black seeds removed if any) · ½ star anise (brown seeds removed if any) · ½ teaspoon sesame seeds · ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds · 4 teaspoon salt

2. 2

   Step 2: Transfer the toasted mixture to a mortar or spice grinder. Let it cool, then grind; add the sesame seeds now if using already-toasted seeds. Before handling the chicken, divide the rub between two clean bowls: about half for the chicken and the remainder for optional serving or another dish.

   Uses Toasted homemade rub, with any reserved already-toasted sesame seeds

3. 3

   Step 3: Pat the raw whole chicken (1) thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Sprinkle about half of the prepared rub over its skin and inside the cavity, then rub it in gently. Keep the other bowl untouched by hands or gloves that have contacted raw chicken.

   Uses 1 raw whole free-range chicken, ideally no larger than 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) · About half of the homemade rub, varying with chicken size

4. 4

   Step 4: Put the halved cavity scallion (1 stalk) and sliced thumb-sized ginger (1) piece inside the seasoned chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at 4°C or colder for at least 4 hours.

   Minimum cold chicken marination · 240 minUses Dry-rubbed raw whole chicken · 1 stalk scallion, cut in halves, for the chicken cavity · 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced, for the chicken cavity

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Take the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before steaming while you prepare the steamer. Keep its total time out of refrigeration below 2 hours, or below 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C.

   Prepare steamer while chicken tempers · 30 minUses Marinated chicken with its cavity aromatics

6. 6

   Step 6: Use a carbon-steel or cast-iron wok with a tall lid, or a deep, wide stockpot that fits the chicken; nonstick cookware is unsuitable. Set a steaming rack inside and add water below it, so boiling water will not touch the chicken. Bring the water to a boil, then place the chicken breast-side up on the rack.

   Uses Marinated whole chicken ready for steaming · Water as needed below the steaming rack, without touching the chicken

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Bring the water back to a boil, reduce to medium heat and cover. If needed, wet a clean cloth with water and seal the lid rim with it, keeping it clear of the heat source. Once steady steam is established, start the first 25-minute steaming phase, then open the lid and check the water level. Add hot water only if needed to prevent the wok from drying out.

   First steaming phase; check water · 25 minUses Chicken on the rack above boiling steaming water · Optional hot water as needed when checking the steamer water level after 25 minutes · Optional clean water as needed to wet the cloth used to seal the steamer or smoking-wok lid

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Cover again and steam for another 15–20 minutes as a guide, making 40–45 minutes in total. Check the thickest breast and inner-thigh meat with a thermometer, avoiding bone: the meat must be above 75°C. Continue steaming if needed and top up with hot water from the same allowance only if needed to keep enough water below the rack. Lift the cooked chicken onto a clean plate. If saving the steaming liquid, pour it into a heatproof bowl.

   Finish steaming; check chicken temperature · 15 minUses Chicken after the first 25 minutes of steaming, with maintained steamer water · Optional hot water as needed when checking the steamer water level after 25 minutes

9. 9

   Step 9: Let the fully cooked chicken cool for about 5 minutes before brushing it with sauce. Prepare the brushing sauce during this short rest.

   Chicken cooling before brushing · 5 minUses Fully steamed chicken, steaming liquid kept separate

10. 10

    Step 10: Mix the brushing sauce: 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp oyster sauce and 1 tsp honey until well combined.

    Uses 1 teaspoon light soy sauce · 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce · 1 teaspoon oyster sauce · 1 teaspoon honey

11. 11

    Step 11: After the chicken has cooled for about 5 minutes, brush a thin, even layer of the prepared soy, oyster-sauce and honey mixture over its skin.

    Uses Steamed chicken after its short cooling rest · Prepared brushing sauce, enough for a thin layer over the chicken

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Clean and dry the wok, then line its base with kitchen foil. On the foil, mix the 1 tbsp loose tea leaves, 2 tbsp brown sugar or white sugar, and 4 tbsp uncooked rice. Heat over medium-high heat until white smoke appears. These solids stay below the rack and are not eaten.

    Uses 1 tablespoon loose tea leaves · 2 tablespoon brown sugar (or white sugar) · 4 tablespoon raw rice

    
13. 13

    Step 13: As soon as smoke appears, set the rack and glazed chicken in the wok and cover immediately. If needed, wet a clean cloth with water and seal the lid rim with it, keeping the cloth clear of the heat source. Start counting the smoking time from this point.

    Uses Wok producing smoke from the foil-lined tea, sugar and raw-rice mixture · Cooked glazed chicken ready for smoking · Optional clean water as needed to wet the cloth used to seal the steamer or smoking-wok lid

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Watch the wok closely and smoke the chicken for 8–10 minutes; a longer time within this range gives a smokier flavour. Turn off the heat. Run the extractor, or take the wok outside, before lifting the lid to release the smoke. Carefully lift out the chicken, leaving the smoking mixture behind.

    Uses Covered wok with cooked chicken smoking above the tea mixture

    
15. 15

    Step 15: Transfer the smoked chicken to a clean chopping board or serving plate. Brush a thin layer of the 1 tsp sesame oil over its skin, then rest for 10 minutes before cutting or serving.

    Rest smoked chicken before serving · 10 minUses Smoked chicken, smoking solids and equipment excluded · 1 teaspoon sesame oil

    
16. 16

    Step 16: For the optional dipping sauce, put the finely chopped dipping scallion and 1 tsp minced ginger into a heatproof bowl. Heat the ½ tbsp neutral oil until hot and carefully pour it over them. Stir in 2 tbsp light soy sauce and ½ tbsp black rice vinegar. If desired, stir in a little of the warm reserved steaming liquid.

    Uses Optional 1 stalk scallion, finely chopped, for the dipping sauce · 1 teaspoon minced ginger · ½ tablespoon neutral oil · 2 tablespoon light soy sauce · ½ tablespoon black rice vinegar · A little reserved chicken-steaming liquid, only if desired in the dipping sauce

17. 17

    Step 17: After the 10-minute rest, tear the chicken into pieces with clean hands or cut it with a cleaver. Serve plain, with a little of the clean reserved rub, or with the optional dipping sauce. Refrigerate leftovers promptly at 4°C or colder, within 2 hours of cooking or within 1 hour in temperatures above 32°C; cool saved steaming liquid promptly in shallow containers too.

    Uses Rested smoked chicken · A little uncontaminated reserved dry rub, only if desired · Prepared dipping sauce to taste, only if made