chinese poached chicken recipe

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prepare ahead?

Absolutely! Like all slow cooked dishes, this will improve with a little time sitting in the fridge.

leftover potential

Great! Will keep in the fridge for a week or more.

variations for fun

vegan / vegetarian – sorry guys. Struggling to think of a vegetarian alternative here. Maybe poached tofu?

pork – replace chicken with 2 ham hocks. You’ll need to remove the skin and bones before serving.

noodle soup – add in a few handfuls of fresh hokkien noodles with the bok choy and simmer until tender.

problem solving guide

no chinese 5 spice? – no problem. Just substitute in a mixture of ground cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, ground cloves and pepper.

too oily?– skim some of the excess oil from the top with a tablespoon OR allow to cool in the fridge and remove solidified fat before heheating and serving. Next time remember to remove the fat from the chicken cavity before cooking.

tough meat -this means you haven’t cooked the chicken for long enough. If you can, best to pop back in the slow cooker or simmer for at least another half hour or even longer.

too salty -we’re using quite a bit of soy sauce here. Next time remember to use a salt reduced soy. For now, dilute the broth with a little water. Or season with some sugar to balance the salt.

chicken too soft / pasty – it is possible to overcook the chicken and end up with flesh that is too soft and pasty. Next time decrease the cooking time.

serving suggestions

I like to shred the meat from the bones and serve as a soup in bowls.

The other option is to keep the broth for another use and serve the tender chicken with steamed rice (or cauliflower rice) with some wilted greens or a green salad.

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back to: Simple Slow Cooking Overview

chinese poached chicken recipe
serves 4

1 chicken (approx 1.4kg / 3lb)
1 cup soy sauce, salt reduced
1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice
4 fresh red chillies
1 bunch bok choy, washed

1. Place chicken, soy sauce, 5 spice, chillies and 2L (8 cups) water in a slow cooker or large saucepan.

2. For the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 10-11 hours or until the chicken is super tender and the legs are easy to wiggle.

3. For the stove top, cover the pan and bring to a gentle simmer for 4-6 hours or until chicken is super tender and the legs are easy to wiggle.

4. Add bok choy to the pan and simmer until wilted. Taste & season.