Cantonese Chicken Recipes

Cantonese Chicken Recipes

Cantonese cuisine, known for its delicate balance of flavors and focus on fresh ingredients, offers some of the most comforting and deeply satisfying chicken dishes in Chinese cooking. From succulent poached chicken with scallion-ginger sauce to richly glazed soy sauce chicken and crispy-skinned roasted delights, these recipes speak to both everyday comfort and festive joy.

This guide takes you into three standout Cantonese chicken recipes: White Cut Chicken (Bai Qie Ji), Soy Sauce Chicken (See Yao Gai), and Crispy Roast Chicken (Siu Gai)—each steeped in tradition and bursting with clean, savory flavor.

1. White Cut Chicken (Bai Qie Ji 白切鸡)

Dish profile: Simple, clean, and delicate.

Occasion: Everyday meal or Lunar New Year gatherings.

White Cut Chicken is the epitome of minimalism in Cantonese cuisine. It’s poached chicken served chilled or at room temperature with a deeply aromatic scallion-ginger oil for dipping. This dish highlights the natural sweetness and tenderness of the chicken without overwhelming it with sauces or spices.

Ingredients:

1 whole fresh chicken (3–4 lbs)

Salt (for rubbing and seasoning)

4 slices of ginger

2 stalks of scallions

Water (enough to submerge the chicken)

For the scallion-ginger oil:

4 tbsp finely chopped scallions

2 tbsp minced ginger

½ tsp salt

4 tbsp hot oil (neutral like canola)

Instructions:

Rub salt all over the chicken to exfoliate and clean the skin, then rinse thoroughly.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add ginger slices and scallions.

Gently lower the chicken into the pot, breast side down. Let it boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and poach for 30–40 minutes, depending on size.

Once done, immediately transfer the chicken to an ice bath to tighten the skin and lock in juices.

When cool, chop into serving pieces.

Scallion-ginger oil:

Mix scallions, ginger, and salt in a bowl. Heat the oil until shimmering, then pour over the mixture. Stir well.

Serving tip:

Serve with a bowl of the poaching broth and fragrant jasmine rice. The contrast of warm rice and cool chicken is refreshing and elegant.

2. Soy Sauce Chicken (See Yao Gai 豉油鸡)

Dish profile: Deeply savory, tender, slightly sweet.

Occasion: Banquets and family Sunday dinners.

Soy Sauce Chicken is a glistening showpiece of Cantonese kitchens. The chicken is gently poached in a seasoned soy-based broth that infuses it with salty-sweet umami. The soy-based stock can be reused multiple times and often becomes a cherished “master stock” over time.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 3–4 lbs)

2 cups light soy sauce

½ cup dark soy sauce

½ cup Shaoxing wine

1/3 cup rock sugar (or brown sugar)

4 cups water

5 slices ginger

4 scallions

2 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (optional)

Instructions:

Combine soy sauces, wine, sugar, and aromatics in a large pot. Bring to a boil.

Lower heat and gently add the chicken breast-side down.

Simmer the chicken, spooning the liquid over the top occasionally. Cook for 35–45 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the sauce for another 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken, chop into pieces, and ladle the sauce over the top.

Serving tip:

This dish is typically served warm with blanched greens and steamed rice. The leftover sauce is perfect for drizzling over noodles or tofu.

Pro tip:

Don’t discard the poaching liquid. Strain and freeze it—it becomes better each time you use it.

3. Crispy Cantonese Roast Chicken (Siu Gai 烧鸡)

Dish profile: Crunchy skin, juicy interior, aromatic and festive.

Occasion: Celebrations, weddings, Chinese banquets.

Siu Gai is the Cantonese answer to roast chicken lovers everywhere. The hallmark of this dish is the crackling, golden skin and the succulent, aromatic meat inside. Achieving the crispy skin requires air-drying the chicken before roasting—a signature technique in Chinese cuisine.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 3–4 lbs)

1 tbsp maltose or honey

1 tbsp Chinese rose wine or Shaoxing wine

1 tsp five-spice powder

Salt and white pepper

1 tbsp vinegar

For marinade:

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp minced garlic

Instructions:

Clean and pat dry the chicken. Rub the inside with salt, five-spice powder, and rose wine.

Mix the marinade and rub it all over the chicken. Let sit in the fridge uncovered overnight to dry the skin.

The next day, brush the skin with a glaze made from maltose thinned with hot water and vinegar.

Roast in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 45–55 minutes, or until skin is crispy and golden brown.

Serving tip:

Serve with a side of sweet plum sauce or salt-and-pepper dip. Pair with stir-fried vegetables and a cold beer for a true banquet feel.

Pro tip:

Some chefs hang the chicken in front of a fan overnight to achieve maximum skin crispness. If that’s not feasible, just ensure the chicken is very dry before roasting.

Cantonese Techniques and Flavor Philosophy

Cantonese cuisine values balance, freshness, and a light hand in seasoning. In chicken dishes especially, it emphasizes letting the poultry’s natural flavor shine. Here are a few key elements across the three recipes:

Poaching with precision: Whether in water or soy sauce, Cantonese chefs take care not to overcook the chicken. Low, steady heat results in tender flesh and juicy texture.

Air-drying for texture: For roast dishes, ensuring the chicken’s skin is very dry before cooking is essential to crispness.

Master stocks and minimalism: Soy sauce chicken benefits from layered flavor built over time, while white cut chicken is a tribute to the power of simplicity.

Dipping sauces as flavor enhancers: Rather than masking the chicken, these sauces complement and contrast, adding brightness, salt, or spice.

Cantonese chicken dishes may look simple on the surface, but each one is rooted in deep culinary tradition. Whether it’s the clean poached notes of Bai Qie Ji, the mahogany gloss and sweet-salty depth of Soy Sauce Chicken, or the irresistible crunch of Siu Gai, these recipes continue to comfort families and impress guests around the world.

Cooking tip:

Use the freshest chicken you can find—ideally free-range or organic. The better the base ingredient, the more satisfying the result in these minimalist yet soulful dishes.

Helpful Reading 

Carrot Cake Recipes and Cornbread Recipes 

https://www.amazon.com/Carrot-Cake-Recipes-Cornbread-Breakfast-ebook/dp/B0DJFHM3QQ

Phyllo Dough Breakfast and Dessert Recipes and Meatloaf Recipes 

https://www.amazon.com/Phyllo-Dessert-Breakfast-Recipes-Meatloaf-ebook/dp/B0DMKZF4ZD/

Cubed Steak Recipes and Recipes for Sauces 

https://www.amazon.com/Cubed-Steak-Recipes-Sauces-Delicious-ebook/dp/B0DS55K36N/

Salmon Recipes and Potato Recipes 

https://www.amazon.com/Salmon-Recipes-Potato-Boxed-Family-ebook/dp/B0DBMLNDPJ/