Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 400 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm bite-sized pieces
Aromatics
- 15 g ginger, peeled and finely julienned
- 20 g scallions, cut into 5cm lengths, white and green parts separated
Marinade
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml shaoxing cooking wine
- 15 ml oyster sauce
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil
- 5 g cornstarch
- 2 g white sugar
- 1 g ground white pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 306 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 809 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 188 mg
- Potassium
- 582 mg
- Calcium
- 29 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 58 mg
- Phosphorus
- 392 mg
- Zinc
- 3.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 27 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.44 mg
- Niacin
- 11.5 mg
- Folate
- 17 mcg
- Water
- 185 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Cut the chicken thighs into even 2.5cm pieces to ensure uniform cooking. Always wash hands and properly sanitize the cutting board and knife after handling raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
In a mixing bowl, combine the light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, white sugar, and white pepper. Whisk until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.
Add the diced chicken and the white parts of the scallions to the marinade. Toss thoroughly to coat, then let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Transfer the marinated chicken and all marinade liquids into a shallow microwave-safe dish. Arrange the chicken in a single, even layer, leaving the center slightly emptier than the edges. Scatter the julienned ginger and the green parts of the scallions over the top.
Cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid, ensuring the vent is open, or use microwave-safe plastic wrap pierced a few times to vent steam. Microwave on high power (800W to 1000W) for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the chicken juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit).
Carefully remove the dish from the microwave. Leave it covered and let it rest for 2 minutes to allow carryover cooking to finish gently heating the center.
Remove the cover, give the chicken and its accumulated sauce a gentle stir to coat the pieces evenly, and serve hot over steamed rice.
Chef's Notes
- Microwaves cook food by vibrating water molecules, which makes them essentially highly efficient steamers. Covering the dish tightly traps moisture, ensuring the chicken steams gently rather than drying out.
- Arranging the chicken in a ring shape (leaving the center sparsely populated) is the golden rule of microwave cooking, as microwaves penetrate the outer edges of the food much faster than the center.
- The small amount of cornstarch in the marinade is a classic Chinese technique known as velveting. It provides a protective barrier that keeps the meat incredibly juicy while simultaneously thickening the sauce as it cooks.
- Carryover cooking is crucial here. Do not skip the 2-minute resting phase, as the internal temperature of the chicken will continue to rise by a few degrees even after the microwave stops.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in a sealed container; note that the texture of scallions will degrade upon thawing.
Reheating: Microwave on medium power in 60-second bursts until steaming hot throughout.
Troubleshooting
Chicken is rubbery or tough
Cause: The chicken was overcooked, or chicken breast was used instead of thigh meat.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but slicing the meat thinly against the grain before serving may improve mouthfeel.
Prevention: Use chicken thighs as directed, and start checking for doneness at the 4-minute mark if your microwave wattage is higher than 1000W.
Chicken is cold and pink in the center
Cause: Uneven microwave heating or meat pieces were piled too high in the center of the dish.
Fix: Stir the chicken well, re-cover, and microwave in additional 60-second bursts until fully cooked.
Prevention: Always arrange the chicken in a single layer, forming a ring shape by leaving the very center of the dish slightly bare.
Sauce is too watery
Cause: Chicken released excess moisture during steaming, or cornstarch was omitted.
Fix: Remove the cooked chicken with a slotted spoon, microwave the remaining liquid uncovered for 2-3 minutes to reduce, then pour back over the chicken.
Prevention: Pat the chicken reasonably dry before cutting, and ensure the cornstarch is thoroughly mixed into the marinade.
Cultural Context
Steamed chicken is a cornerstone of homestyle Cantonese cooking, traditionally prepared in a bamboo steamer set over a wok of boiling water. This recipe adapts that foundational technique to the modern microwave, preserving the dish's core identity: pure, unadulterated chicken flavor enhanced by the timeless trinity of ginger, scallion, and soy sauce. It demonstrates that convenience cooking can still yield highly traditional flavor profiles.
