Scallion-Baked Chicken (Xiang Cong Ju Ji)

Why people make this dish

Wenchang chicken is a well-regarded breed native to Hainan province, fed partly on coconut, and known for its tender, flavorful meat. It is wonderful as Hainanese chicken rice, served with ginger paste, green onion, a touch of salt and soy sauce, and a squeeze of lime. But on days when you want something even simpler, nothing beats this method: a pound of spring onions, a whole bird, a rice cooker, and no oven required. The result is a dish fragrant enough to make the whole kitchen smell wonderful. This is the Cantonese home cook’s answer to the question: what is the most flavorful thing I can make with the least effort?

Method

1. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Rub sea salt and a pinch of sand ginger powder generously over the entire surface of the chicken as well as inside the cavity. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours to allow the seasoning to penetrate.
3. Trim the roots from the spring onions, wash thoroughly, and cut into sections.
4. Line the bottom of a rice cooker with a layer of scallion sections.
5. Stuff the remaining scallion sections into the chicken cavity.
6. Place the stuffed chicken on top of the scallion bed in the rice cooker. Lay any remaining scallion pieces over the top of the chicken.
7. Close the rice cooker lid and press the cook button. Allow the cooker to complete its cycle and switch automatically to “keep warm.” The chicken is done.
8. Remove the chicken, chop into pieces, and serve with the fragrant juices from the pot.

Nourilo’s Tips

This method is as easy as it gets — no fire-watching, no oven, no added water. The chicken and scallions release their own moisture as they cook, creating a natural steam environment inside the rice cooker that keeps the meat incredibly juicy. Chilled free-range chicken from a supermarket or butcher works perfectly well for this dish. If you want a slightly more complex marinade, Nourilo suggests 2 teaspoons of sand ginger powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine — or swap the sand ginger for lemongrass powder for a Southeast Asian note.