Chinese · dinner
65m
Total time
4
Servings
—
kcal
medium
Difficulty
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FAQ · Things people ask
Absolutely — this is the master stock principle. Bring it to a full boil after each use, strain through a fine sieve, cool, and refrigerate or freeze. Before the next use, bring it back to a boil and top up with fresh light soy, rock sugar, and water as needed. The stock deepens in complexity with every use.
The stock was at a rolling boil rather than a sub-boiling simmer, or the chicken poached too long. Use an instant-read thermometer: pull at 68–70°C / 155–158°F at the thigh's thickest point. The on-off heat method is specifically designed to prevent this — it delivers gentle, even heat without boiling.
Yes. Bone-in thighs are the most forgiving substitution. Reduce the total poaching time to 25–30 minutes across on-off cycles and monitor internal temperature carefully. Avoid boneless pieces — they dry out faster and lose the presentation.
Yes, and they are not interchangeable. Light soy sauce is the flavor and salt backbone of the stock; dark soy sauce is used in much smaller quantity purely for the deep mahogany color and a slight molasses depth. If you only own one type, use light soy for flavor — your chicken will taste right but be paler in color.
Both are traditional. Many Cantonese households serve it at room temperature or cold from the fridge the next day — the skin becomes more lacquered and jammy as it cools, and the flavor concentrates. It is excellent cold-sliced for a make-ahead dinner or lunch.
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