Yunnan Steamed Pot Chicken

云南汽锅鸡

Yunnan Steamed Pot Chicken — Soup & Cold DishesKunming, Yunnan home cooking.

Ingredients

• whole free-range chicken (1.2 kg)
• goji berries
• dried yam slices
• Shaoxing wine
• fresh ginger

Instructions

1. Prepare chicken: Rinse chicken inside and out. Pat dry. Rub cavity with 1 tsp salt and 15 ml (1 tbsp) Shaoxing wine. Stuff with goji berries, dried yam, and 4 thin ginger slices. (Cavity walls glisten faintly; ginger slices lie flat without curling)
2. Set up steamer: Fill wok with 5 cm (2 inches) water. Bring to gentle simmer over medium heat. Place qi guo pot centered on wok. Ensure lid fits snugly and chimney is unobstructed. (Steam rises steadily through chimney without hissing or leaking around lid)
3. Steam: Place stuffed chicken upright in qi guo pot. Cover tightly. Steam continuously for 3 hours — replenish wok water with hot water every 45 minutes to maintain level. (Clear droplets form and fall rhythmically into chicken cavity every 5–8 seconds)
4. Check doneness: After 3 hours, carefully lift lid. Insert chopstick into thickest part of thigh — it should slide in with no resistance and juices run clear. If not, steam 15–30 minutes more. (Meat parts cleanly from bone; surface glistens with pure, golden broth)
5. Serve: Carefully lift chicken from pot. Pour accumulated broth into serving bowl. Slice chicken and return to broth. Garnish with extra goji and scallion rings. Serve piping hot with steamed rice. (Broth is crystal-clear, pale amber, with no oil slick or cloudiness)