The Best Method for Tender Poached Chicken (+ Delish Wonton Soup!)

Step 1

For the poached chile chicken, bring stock, sliced ginger, halved cloves garlic and the 1 hot chile pepper to a boil in a large pot

Step 2

Lower the chicken into the liquid

Step 3

When liquid returns to a simmer, cover and cook for 90 seconds

Step 4

Turn off heat and leave chicken in the liquid for 90 minutes

Step 5

Remove chicken from liquid and reserve liquid for the wonton soup

Step 6

When chicken is cool enough to handle, hack with a cleaver and arrange meat in a wide rimmed bowl like an oversized pie plate

Step 7

Or, remove meat from bones and slice the white and dark meat ¼ inch thick

Step 8

In a separate heatproof bowl, place the sliced garlic, cut Chinese chilies, minced hot red chile, minced ginger, sugar, chicken bouillon powder and ground white peppercorns and combine

Step 9

Ladle hot oil (just heat oil in a small pan for a few minutes) over the dry ingredients

Step 10

Stir and immediately add the black vinegar, soy sauce and hot chile oil or chili crisp and stir

Step 11

Pour sauce over the chicken and garnish with sesame seeds, peanuts and sliced scallions

Step 12

For the wonton soup, sprinkle a large tray with a dusting of cornstarch and bring the chicken poaching liquid to a boil

Step 13

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, shrimp, cabbage, chives, wine, salt, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil

Step 14

Mix well slowly

Step 15

Spoon about ½ ounce of filling onto each wrapper and wet the edge

Step 16

Fold the wrapper in half (to form a half moon) and seal the edge

Step 17

Next, bring the ends around and seal with more water to make wonton shape

Step 18

Sit the wonton with the folds standing up on the prepared tray

Step 19

(The recipe makes 24 to 32 wontons

Step 20

) Poach in the chicken poaching liquid until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes

Step 21

To serve, season the poaching liquid with soy sauce and ladle it and the wontons into bowls

Step 22

Garnish with sesame seeds, scallions, chili crisp and carrot curls (if using)