But it is an inevitable truth that at some point, you are going to want to eat bai qie ji without having to poach a WHOLE chicken. When I’m stuck inside (arctic blast, anyone?) or just too lazy to put on real pants and go out to a restaurant, I’ve tried making the dish by poaching chicken breasts, and drizzling soy sauce and ginger-scallion oil over the top. It’s satisfying–not to mention healthy–but it’s not quiiiiite right. And I definitely wanted to–as ol’ Emeril would say–“kick it up a notch!” I decided to turn poached chicken on its head by making a soy sauce glaze, pan searing the chicken, and then drizzling it with the ginger scallion oil. The result was a highly satisfying alternative–way easier than wrangling a whole chicken, and most definitely college-student-friendly. And in the summertime, you can switch from pan seared chicken breast to grilled chicken breast and bring it to a whole new level!
Of course, feel free to take the recipe for the ginger scallion sauce and use it on the traditional poached chicken recipe!
Soy Glazed Chicken with Scallion Ginger Oil: Recipe Instructions
Mix the low-sodium soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, dark mushroom soy sauce, and hoisin sauce in a bowl. Add the chicken breasts and let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Now make the scallion ginger oil. Cut the scallions in half lengthwise and then slice roughly. Mince the ginger. You can also run it through a Microplane or grater. I did half and half so as to improve the texture of the sauce. Heat 1/3 cup oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and immediately turn the heat down to low. Cook for 5-10 minutes.
Add the scallion and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and season with salt. Set aside.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and drizzle on a couple tablespoons of oil. Lay the chicken breasts evenly in the pan. Let sear for 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through. If you like, you can use the leftover marinade to brush the chicken breasts as they cook. But this step isn’t strictly necessary.
When the chicken is cooked through, plate and spoon the ginger scallion sauce over the top. Serve with rice or noodles with some green veggies on the side and you’ve got an easy, healthy, and satisfying weeknight Chinese dinner!
