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Chinese Chicken Stock

4.84 from 6 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Course: Stock
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 6 cups
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken or 1 frozen whole chicken, thawed
  • 1/2 Chinese scallion 15 centimeters / 6 inches long, chopped into 4 pieces
  • 1 thumb-sized piece ginger sliced
  • optional 6 dried jujubes
  • optional 1 piece dried American ginseng

Instructions

To cook chicken stock

  • Thoroughly rinse the chicken with tap water.
  • In a large dutch oven (or pot), add chicken and fill 3/4 of the way with water. Add scallion, ginger, jujubes, and ginseng. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and use a ladle to skim the foam from the surface, if any has accumulated. Turn to low heat and simmer, covered, for about 3 hours. If the water level gets so low that the chicken is no longer covered, add 1 to 2 cups boiling water. Do not add water during the final hour of simmering. The broth will have a pale brownish yellow color with a thick layer of oil on top.
  • When the stock is done, transfer chicken to a working surface to cool down. Use a mesh ladle or slotted spoon to scoop out the spices, and discard them.
  • You can use the stock immediately or store it.

To use the chicken

  • After the chicken has cooled enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones with a knife or by hand. You can use the chicken in soups or stir fried dishes.
  • *Tip - To use the chicken meat: Season with salt and pepper. Coat with a thin layer of all-purpose flour. Grill in a greased skillet until crispy.

To store the broth

  • Transfer the broth to an air-tight container and allow to cool, uncovered. Do not skim the oil from the top. The oil will protect the broth from bacteria when cooling off. It also adds great flavor to dishes, whether used along with the broth or as a cooking oil. You can easily remove the solid fat when the broth has cooled down completely. Store the broth in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The fat can be used to cook Hainanese chicken rice or stir fry dishes.