Chinese Steamed Chicken
Chinese Steamed Chicken is my favorite go-to when I'm craving healthy, quick comfort food with restaurant-quality flavor at home. Tender chicken thighs steam with shiitake mushrooms, ginger, scallions, and a savory mix of soy sauce and sesame oil until everything is juicy and aromatic. It's perfect for weeknight dinners and meal-prep lunches because it's light, high in protein, and comes together quickly without any frying. The chicken pairs beautifully with rice or noodles and reheats without drying out. It stays fresh in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or freezes for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup shiitake soaked and sliced
- 2 green onions finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons ginger finely minced
- 1 tablespoon hot vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Green onions sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Lightly season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and freshly ground black pepper.4 boneless, Salt, Black pepper
- Place the seasoned chicken and sliced shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof dish that fits inside your steamer. Cover and steam over boiling water for 15–18 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.1 cup shiitake
- While the chicken is steaming, combine the sliced green onions and minced ginger in a small heatproof bowl.2 green onions, 2 tablespoons ginger
- Heat the vegetable oil until very hot but not smoking, then carefully pour it over the ginger and green onions. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, stirring to combine. Set aside.1 tablespoon hot vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Slice the steamed chicken and arrange it on a serving plate with the mushrooms. Spoon the warm ginger-scallion sauce over the top.
- Garnish with extra green onions if desired. Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.Green onions
Notes
Here are my top tips for making the best Chinese Steamed Chicken:
- Swap ingredients for variation: You can use chicken breast instead of thighs, reduce steaming time by 3-5 minutes, substitute wood ear mushrooms for shiitake, add garlic and a splash of shaoxing wine or dry sherry to the liquid, use white pepper instead of black, stir in oyster sauce with the soy sauce, thicken the sauce with cornstarch, or garnish with goji berries for a sweeter, more traditional Chinese-style.
- Use a wok for traditional steaming: A wok works perfectly for steaming the chicken in a single layer, and you can prep your ginger and green onions in separate bowls while it heats up; the juicy, tender chicken tastes great on its own or diced into stir-fry the next day.
- Don't skip the hot oil step: Pouring hot oil over the ginger and green onions is what creates that fragrant, aromatic sauce. Cold oil won't release the same depth of flavor, so make sure it's sizzling hot.
- Test the chicken for doneness: The internal temperature should reach 165°F, and the juices should run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh.
- Slice against the grain: After steaming, slice the chicken thighs against the grain for the most tender bite. You'll see the muscle fibers running in one direction, so cut perpendicular to them.
- Flash-freeze for meal prep: Freeze cooked chicken slices on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer them to containers so they don't stick together, making it easy to grab just the portions you need later.
Nutrition
Calories: 636kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 99gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 258mgSodium: 741mgPotassium: 1847mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 4mg
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