Spicy Asian Chicken in Garlic Sauce (from Canadian Cookbook)

[MelissaS]

Spicy Asian Chicken in Garlic Sauce
This dish is usually served in Chinese restaurants as an appetizer, however, it also makes a nice
light supper or luncheon dish. The mild flavor of the poached chicken breast is a perfect companion for the gingery garlic sauce. To complete the meal, serve steamed rice and some stir-fried vegetables.

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:
Chicken
•   400g water
•   4 slices fresh ginger, 0.6 cm thick
•   30g Scotch whiskey
•   350g skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into pieces
Sauce
•   1 clove garlic
•   2 scallions
•   1 piece ginger root (size of garlic clove)
•   2 tbsp. soy sauce
•   1 tbsp. unseasoned rice wine vinegar
•   2tsp. sugar
•   1 tsp. Asian chili oil
•   1/4 tsp. Asian sesame oil
Garnish
•   fresh chopped cilantro, as garnish

Instructions:
Place water, ginger, and Scotch into the Bowl. Place chicken in the Basket. Place the Basket into the Bowl. Cook for 20 minutes at 100°C on speed 4. Place chicken in a serving dish, and cover. Clean the Bowl. With the Blades running for 10 seconds on speed 7, drop garlic clove, scallions, and ginger into the Bowl through the opening in the Lid. Scrape down sides of the Bowl using the Spatula. Add remaining Sauce ingredients to the Bowl. Mix for 15 seconds on speed 2. Shred chicken with a fork, or slice it. Pour sauce over chicken, and toss. Serve at room temperature garnished with chopped, fresh cilantro.

members' comments

Molly Grubbles - Tried this with a few adjustments according to what was in my cupboard.
I used Mirin instead of Rice Wine Vinegar,
Ketjap Manis instead of Soy
I didn't have chilli oil & seeing as my family are a bit funny about hot stuff, I left it out entirely.
I also did a bit more chicken (420 g) & served it on brown rice to make it a meal for 4 (well 3 1/4 actually).

Should have double (or at least 1.5'd) the sauce but it did go a lot further than it looked like it was going to, to start with.
The Mirin & Ketjap Manis made it quite sweet.  Next time I would love to try it with the 'correct' ingredients.
Very, Very Yummy & will definitely do it again.

Janee Zee - The flavour of this was delicious............as expected.  I used palm sugar for the sauce & had to give that a blast at speed 6 to integrate it. Otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter.  Only served it with steamed vegetables.  I didn't read how many it served beforehand & it really was only enough for 2 & I used more chicken than recommended - got a tiny bit left for lunch tomorrow.  Somehow I managed - even though it was in the Thermoserver - to let the chicken go a bit cold while I steamed veggies which detracted from it a bit.  I possibly had too much chicken to cook in the initial 20 minutes so I had to steam it for longer.  DH said he wouldn't want any more ginger in the sauce (love the way you gave us an indication that we needed "a garlic clove sized piece" of ginger).
Think it would be a really good entree like san choy bow (?) in lettuce leaves with some chopped peanuts. 
Like I said - delicious & I would definitely try it again.  We give it 9.5/10

JD - I used 1/2 teaspn sambal oelek in lieu of the chilli oil & the only other change I made was that I cooked the sauce for 3 minutes 100^o on speed 2 then added some water to make it more saucy. I am not a great fan of steamed/poached chicken breast meat as it is usually dry so would use thighs next time. I wanted it all hot to serve with fried rice so kept the chicken in the thermosaver whilst I made the sauce then tossed it all together.  Lovely flavours and it tastes better than it looks.  4/5 from me.

Caroline J - We LOVED it.  5/5 for me.

Thermomixer - I think that the breast cut into chunks should work fine.  But cook less time and I would cook it for 15 minutes at 90 degrees in the TM bowl with reverse and speed 1
I made a chicken curry for staff dinner 2 weeks ago at our local restaurant.  They had chicken breasts and so I cut them into chunks and only cooked them in the curry sauce for about 3 minutes and then turned the heat off and left them to steep/stew in the sauce.  It was sooooooo tender (if i don't say so myself)  - but it is best not to have the breasts cook for long.
Even better to cut into strips across the grain and drop into the poaching liquor that is at 100 degrees and turn the heat off.

tarasis - Finally made it (using the version in the book which is slightly different as it uses the Thermomix to do the shredding).
It was very nice despite making it with Turkey (supermarket has run out of chicken breasts), which as a meat I don't like, and not having enough sesame oil. Leftovers worked great as a sandwich filler the next day. I very much suspect I'll be making more to use like that. I can highly recommend it and really it isn't that Spicy!

CarolineW - it was fabulous. We didn't have whiskey so I used brandy and I didn't have chilli oil so I used sweet chilli sauce and skipped the sugar.  Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.

chardie 18 - we loved it!!!!!! I made two tweaks to the recipe. I cooked the chicken for two minutes less (as I don't like overcooked chicken) and I doubled the sauce quantities as I love lots of sauce with my rice. It was also great re-heated the next day for lunch!




 

[brazen20au]

oh my that sounds utterly delicious!

[Thermomixer]

What - you throw the Scotch out ??  Does sound great.  Wonder where the idea of steaming with Scotch came from - something new.

[sianon]

Sounds utterly sensational.  Will try this out on Sunday I think   good excuse to buy a bottle of a fine single malt whisky

[MollyGrubbles]

Tried this tonight with a few adjustments according to what was in my cupboard.

I used Mirin instead of Rice Wine Vinegar,
Ketjap Manis instead of Soy
And I didn't have chilli oil, & seeing as my family are a bit funny about hot stuff, I left it out entirely.
I also did a bit more chicken (420g) & served it on brown rice to make it a meal for 4 (well 3 1/4 actually).

Should have double (or at least 1.5'd) the sauce, but it did go a lot further than it looked like it was going to, to start with.

The Mirin & Ketjap Manis made it quite sweet.  Next time I would love to try it with the 'correct' ingredients.

Very Very Yummy & will definitely do it again 

[brazen20au]

must try this one soon!

[Lovemythermo]

Has anyone tried this without the Scotch? not normlly something I'd keep in the cupboard but happy to buy a small bottle if its a must have.

[Thermomixer]

Certainly not essential - have you got any sherry or other alcohol?

[JaneeZee]

The flavour of this was delicious............as expected.  I used palm sugar for the sauce & had to give that a blast at speed 6 to integrate it. Otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter.  Only served it with steamed vegetables.  I didn't read how many it served beforehand & it really was only enough for 2 & I used more chicken than recommended - got a tiny bit left for lunch tomorrow.  Somehow I managed - even though it was in the Thermoserver - to let the chicken go a bit cold while I steamed veggies which detracted from it a bit.  I possibly had too much chicken to cook in the initial 20 minutes so I had to steam it for longer.  DH said he wouldn't want any more ginger in the sauce (love the way you gave us an indication that we needed "a garlic clove sized piece" of ginger).

Think it would be a really good entree like san choy bow (?) in lettuce leaves with some chopped peanuts. 

Like I said - delicious & I would definitely try it again.  We give it 9.5/10

[gertbysea]

I think Sherry would do nicely as It is often used in Chinese cooking.

Gretchen

[judydawn]

I made this today and used 1/2 teaspn sambal oelek in lieu of the chilli oil & the only other change I made was that I cooked the sauce for 3 minutes 100^o on speed 2 then added some water to make it more saucy. I am not a great fan of steamed/poached chicken breast meat as it is usually dry so would use thighs next time. I wanted it all hot to serve with fried rice so kept the chicken in the thermosaver whilst I made the sauce then tossed it all together.  Lovely flavours and it tastes better than it looks.  4/5 from me.

[Caroline J]

I made this a while ago but forgot to comment.  We LOVED it.  5/5 for me.

[Thermomixer]

Hey JD - just noticed that you have done 3000 posts - good work chatterbox.

I think that the breast cut into chunks should work fine.  But cook less time and I would cook it for 15 minutes at 90 degrees in the TM bowl with reverse and speed 1

I made a chicken curry for staff dinner 2 weeks ago at our local restaurant.  They had chicken breasts and so I cut them into chunks and only cooked them in the curry sauce for about 3 minutes and then turned the heat off and left them to steep/stew in the sauce.  It was sooooooo tender (if i don't say so myself)  - but it is best not to have the breasts cook for long.

Even better to cut into strips across the grain and drop into the poaching liquor that is at 100 degrees and turn the heat off.

[judydawn]

Thanks Thermomixer, yes maybe I do talk too much -  3000 posts, that's something I would never have envisaged 12 months ago. Funny how your life can change just by buying an appliance.

Have taken your hints onboard re chicken fillets and the best way to cook them to stop them being so dry. 

[Thermomixer]

Sadly, there is only one person who talks more than you