Chinese Steamed Chicken
This recipe for Chinese Steamed Chicken is based on my No Water Chicken Wonton Soup recipe. The chicken comes from that dish. You don't actually HAVE to make the wonton soup, but I recommend you do. It is delicious. If you don't, reserve the chicken broth for another recipe, or add some chicken back into it and make it into two meals.
Steamed Chinese Chicken
I love recipes that are multi-purpose, and this is part of a collection that I'll be making on repeat all fall and winter long. It was SO good.
First, you take a big Dutch oven, layer in onion, carrots, celery, garlic, ginger, and cabbage, then top it with a whole quartered chicken, put the lid on, and let it ride on low heat for 60-90 minutes.
The result is a super-flavorful chicken and vegetable broth, and this perfectly moist, tender, flavorful steamed chicken.
You can use it in soup, add it to my Asian Chicken Salad, heap it onto a sandwich with whatever kind of dressing you're in the mood for, or whip up my Tingly Chili Garlic Oil and dip it in with some steamed rice.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No Water Needed: The cabbage, onion, and chicken make their own liquid, so the flavor stays concentrated.
- Mostly Hands Off: Once the lid is on, you're just waiting and checking temperatures.
- Tender Chicken: Gentle steam heat keeps both the breast and thighs moist.
- Bonus Broth: The liquid left in the pot is a rich base for soup.
- Stove Or Oven: Cook it on low heat on the stovetop, or move it to a 300 to 325°F oven if your burner runs hot.
Try this High Protein Egg Drop Soup!
Recipe Shopping List
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here's the list of items you'll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Steamed Chicken
- Whole Chicken: I used a 4 pound bird with the giblets removed. Any size works, but a smaller chicken finishes sooner and a bigger one takes longer, so go by your thermometer.
- Napa Cabbage: You need about 8 large leaves. Napa holds the most liquid and has the sweetest flavor. Green cabbage or bok choy can work in a pinch.
- Fresh Ginger: Peel it and cut it into slices before it goes in the pot.
- Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms: Wash and slice them. They add a deep, savory flavor.
- Celery: Keep the leaves on and cut the stalks so they fit in your pot.
- Yellow Onion: Peel and quarter it. Sweet or white onion works too.
- Carrots: The recipe uses shredded carrots and a couple of whole carrots cut into chunks. I did both because that's what I had, so use all of one kind if you prefer.
- Salt: This is the only seasoning on the chicken, so use the plain salt you like best. Kosher salt works well.
Tingly Chili Oil
- Avocado Oil: A neutral oil that handles heat well. Vegetable or canola oil can take its place.
- Gochugaru: Korean chili flakes add color, mild heat, and a slightly fruity flavor. Look for it in the international aisle or at an Asian market.
- Red Pepper Flakes: These add a sharper heat. Use less if you want a milder sauce.
- Whole Szechuan Peppercorns: These give the sauce its tingly, numbing feel. They aren't related to black pepper and aren't spicy, so there's no real substitute.
- Garlic: Mince it fresh. Jarred minced garlic works if that's what you have.
- Fresh Ginger: Peel a ½-inch piece and slice it.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: This adds a nutty flavor. A little goes a long way.
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: It keeps the sauce from getting too salty. Use tamari if you need it gluten-free.
- Vinegar: White vinegar or rice vinegar both work, so use whichever you have. It adds tang that balances the oil.
- Green Onions: Use the green parts only, sliced thin.
How To Make This Recipe
This is just the overview so you can see what you're actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you'll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
- Layer The Pot: Prep the vegetables and stack them in a large Dutch oven, smallest pieces on the bottom and napa cabbage leaves on top.
- Add The Chicken: Set the chicken on the cabbage. If it won't fit whole, cut out the backbone with kitchen shears, spatchcock it, and quarter it. Sprinkle the salt over the chicken to coat it.
- Cover And Cook: Put a sturdy lid on the pot and cook over low heat for about 1 hour. Try not to lift the lid, but stay close by.
- Check The Temperature: Take the temperature of the thickest part of each piece. Pull the breast at 165°F and the thighs at 175°F.
- Rest And Serve: Move the cooked chicken to a platter and tent it with foil to keep it warm.
Tips For The Best Steamed Chicken
- Cook to temperature, not time. One hour is a guide. Your pot, burner, and chicken size all change it.
- Keep the lid on. Every time you lift it, steam and liquid escape.
- Use a heavy pot with a tight lid. A Dutch oven works best. If your lid doesn't seal well, put a sheet of foil under it.
- Temp every piece. Pieces finish at different times, so take each one out as it's done.
- Save the broth. The liquid and vegetables left in the pot make a great soup base.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Napa cabbage, onion, carrots, and celery are mostly water, and they release it slowly as they heat. With the lid on, that liquid turns to steam and cooks the chicken.
Yes. The chicken sits above the vegetables and cooks in the trapped steam instead of in a pool of liquid. That's why the meat is moist and the skin stays soft.
A large Dutch oven or any heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. You need enough room for the vegetables and the chicken, plus a lid that sits flat.
No. If your pot is big enough, leave the chicken whole. If it isn't, remove the backbone with kitchen shears and cut the chicken into quarters. Quartering also lets you remove the pieces as they reach temperature.
Yes. If your stove runs hot, cook it covered in a 300 to 325°F oven instead. Start checking temperatures around the 1 hour mark.
Pull the breast at 165°F and the thighs at 175°F. Dark meat is safe at 165°F, but it gets more tender at a higher temperature.
Check that the heat is on low and the lid is on tight. Cabbage cooked too fast can scorch before it releases its liquid.
Let the chicken cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It's good shredded into rice bowls or fried rice.
Don't toss them. Strain the vegetables over a bowl to catch the extra liquid, then use the broth for soup. It's the base for the wonton soup mentioned above.
Serving Suggestions
More Chicken Recipes
Chinese Steamed Chicken
This Chinese steamed chicken cooks in its own juices over napa cabbage, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms. No water is added, and the chicken comes out tender.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 3 slices peeled ginger
- 4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, washed and sliced
- 4 stalks celery, leaves included, cut to fit in the pot
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 whole carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 8 large napa cabbage leaves
- 1 whole chicken (4 pounds), giblets removed
- 2 teaspoons salt
Tingly Garlic Chili Oil
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon whole szechuan peppercorns
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½" ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vinegar (white, rice wine, etc)
- 3 tablespoons sliced green onions (green parts only)
Instructions
- Prep your vegetables. If your pot fits a whole chicken, leave the bird whole. If it doesn’t, cut out the backbone with kitchen shears, spatchcock the chicken, and cut it into quarters.
- Layer the vegetables in a large Dutch oven, putting the smallest pieces on the bottom and the napa cabbage leaves on top.
- Place the chicken on top of the cabbage. Sprinkle the salt over the chicken.
- Put a sturdy lid on the pot.
- Set the pot over low heat and cook for about 1 hour. Go by temperature, not time (see the next step). Avoid lifting the lid too often, since steam and liquid escape each time, but stay nearby. The chicken and vegetables will release enough liquid to keep everything from scorching. If your stove runs hot, cook it in a 300 to 325°F oven instead.
- Check the thickest part of each piece with a thermometer. Pull the breast at 165°F and the thighs at 175°F. Pieces can finish at different times, so temp each one and take it out as it’s ready.
- Move the cooked chicken to a platter and tent it with foil to keep it warm.
- To make the chili oil, heat the oil until it is shimmering in a pot.
- Combine the gochugaru, red pepper flakes, szechuan chili peppers, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Pour the hot oil slowly over the mixture.
- Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and green onions.
- Serve it either hot or cold with the dipping sauce or your favorite sauce.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 189Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 1279mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 6gSugar: 6gProtein: 8g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate. If you are tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!
