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04/07/2003 Archived Entry: "Chinese "Magic" Chicken"

Even the most mass-produced chicken in the supermarket can be delicious and velvety tender when cooked by this ancient Chinese method. And it is so stunningly simple that I never thought I would need to do more than chat about it on the radio. But … some people. They need written recipes. So, I promised on the air that I would put it here. I am going to make this very short, though. It is not a recipe. It is a method.

Take one 4- to 5-pound chicken.

Put it in a large pot that will hold it snugly, not touching the sides of the pot but filling it pretty well.

Add enough cold tap water to cover.

Add 3 tablespoons of salt. (Okay, 2 tablespoons if you are afraid of that much salt.)

Add 1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns.

Cover the pot.

Put it over high heat.

Bring it to a boil.

Don’t peek.

As soon as you hear the water boil – it takes about 20 minutes on my ordinary, residential range -- or see some steam coming up under the lid, turn the heat off.

Let the pot stand, covered, for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, depending on how big the chicken is.

This is great chicken for chicken salad.

That’s it.

P.S.:
Strain the broth to remove the peppercorns and any chicken debris. The broth is the perfect strength for cooking broth. Keep it in the freezer, packed in convenient amounts.

For soup, reduce the broth until strong enough to sip for its own sake. But remember: It will get saltier.