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5 from 48 votes

Instant Pot White Cut Chicken (白切雞)

Make Healthy Instant Pot White Cut Chicken Recipe 白切雞 (Pressure Cooker) in 3 easy steps. This Classic Cantonese Poached Whole Chicken with Ginger Scallion Sauce is super easy to cook with 5 real, whole food ingredients in an hour!
Servings 4 - 6
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2.8 - 3.6 pounds (1270 - 1633g) good quality whole chicken
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) ginger , crushed and sliced
  • 4 stalks green onions
  • 2 tablespoons (~40g) fine sea salt or table salt
  • 8 cups (2L) cold water

Ginger Scallion Sauce 薑蓉:

  • 1 stalk green onions , finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) ginger , grated
  • 1 ½ tablespoon (22.5ml) peanut oil
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Pressure Cook Whole Chicken: Add 2 tbsp (~40g) fine sea salt, 4 stalks of green onions, 2 tbsp (30g) crushed ginger, and 8 cups (2L) of cold water to the Instant Pot. With tongs, carefully submerge the whole chicken in the water. Ensure the water covers at least 90% of the chicken.
    Close lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 0 (zero) minute + Natural Release (18 - 22 minutes). 
    -For 2.8lbs (1270g) Whole Chickens: 18 minutes Natural Release
    -For 3.2 lbs (1450g) Whole Chickens: 20 minutes Natural Release
    -For 3.6 lbs (1633g) Whole Chickens: 22 minutes Natural Release
    Open the lid carefully. With tongs, carefully remove the chicken from Instant Pot. Be very careful as there will be hot liquid in the chicken carcass. Drain the hot chicken stock liquid in the chicken carcass.
  • Measure Temperature: Place the whole chicken on a large plate and measure temperature of the thickest part of chicken. Make sure the temperature reaches at least 165°F (74°C). *Note: If the thickest part is almost 165°F, you can just rest it on the plate and the carry over heat will continue to cook the whole chicken. If the thickest part is below 160°F, place chicken back into the hot liquid and close the lid for another 5 minutes.
  • Cool Chicken: Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water. Completely submerge the chicken in ice water for 10 - 15 minutes.
  • Make Ginger Scallion Sauce: Heat 1 ½ tbsp (22.5ml) peanut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Place the freshly grated ginger in a small bowl. Pour in 1 ½ tablespoon HOT peanut oil, 1 stalk of finely chopped green onions and mix well. Add salt to taste (roughly ½ teaspoon).
  • Serve: Pat dry and chop the chicken to serve with ginger & green onion sauce. Enjoy!*Pro Tip: Don’t throw away the chicken stock, it is very salty at this stage. Add in roughly 8 cups (2L) water to dilute it and use it for soup or as salted chicken stock.

Stovetop Method:

  • Bring Water Mixture to a Simmer: In a large stock pot, add 3 tbsp (~55g) fine sea salt, 6 stalks green onions, 3 tbsp (45g) crushed ginger, and 12 cups (3L) cold water. Bring the water mixture to a simmer.
  • Cook Whole Chicken: With tongs, carefully submerge the whole chicken in the water mixture with the chicken breast side down. Ensure the chicken is fully submerged in the water. Bring the water mixture back to a simmer. Cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Do not open the lid. After 40 - 45 minutes, open the lid to check for doneness.
  • Continue with the measure temperature step above.

Notes

1. Use Good Quality Chicken

Since this Instant Pot White Cut Chicken is all about enjoying the simple chicken fragrance and fresh rich flavors, it’s important to choose a good quality chicken.
We don’t get the privilege to enjoy fresh chickens here, so we usually use Free Range Chicken 走地雞, “Yellow Skin” Chicken 黃油雞, or Loong Kong Chicken 龍崗雞 for richer and stronger chicken flavors. :)
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Author: Amy + Jacky
Calories: 738kcal

Nutrition

Calories: 738kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 238mg | Sodium: 831mg | Potassium: 647mg | Vitamin A: 595IU | Vitamin C: 7.9mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3mg