Gluten-Free Chinese Ginger Scallion Chicken
This Chinese Ginger Scallion Chicken is all about the sauce. Warm, savoury and loaded with fresh ginger, green onions, tamari, oyster sauce and sesame oil. It’s generously spooned over gently poached chicken and soft rice vermicelli noodles, with plenty of those delicious juices soaking through every bite. Simple, full of flavour and completely gluten-free.
MORE ABOUT THIS RECIPE
I’ve seen so many versions of Ginger Scallion Chicken popping up on social media, so of course I had to make my own. For my gluten-free version, I wanted plenty of that beautiful sauce because for me, that’s what makes this dish. The chicken is gently poached with fresh ginger, green onions and peppercorns, then sliced or pulled and served over gluten-free rice vermicelli noodles.
The real magic happens when the warm ginger scallion sauce is spooned over everything. I make it with fresh ginger, green onions, chilli, tamari sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil, along with some of the chicken poaching liquid. That extra poaching liquid keeps the sauce light and juicy rather than thick, so it runs through the chicken and noodles, flavouring every bite.
I’ve used Chang’s Gluten Free Tamari Light Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce and Rice Vermicelli Noodles to make my version gluten-free, while keeping all those savoury Asian flavours I wanted in the dish.
It’s simple, comforting and incredibly flavourful, and definitely one to make when you want something a little different for dinner without a complicated ingredient list.
Watch How to Make It
Helpful Tips
Don’t rapidly boil the chicken.
Once the water reaches boiling point, reduce the heat and keep it at a gentle simmer. This helps the chicken cook evenly without becoming tough.
Let the chicken rest in the poaching liquid.
After simmering, turn off the heat and leave the chicken covered in the hot liquid for another 15 minutes. This gently finishes the cooking.
Check the thickest part.
Insert a skewer or chopstick into the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear. For complete certainty, chicken should reach a safe internal temperature of 75°C.
Keep the poaching liquid.
Before draining anything, reserve at least ¾ cup. It becomes part of the ginger scallion sauce and gives it that deliciously light, juicy consistency.
Don’t expect pulled slow-cooked chicken.
This is poached chicken, so the texture is different from slow-cooked, fall-apart meat. Once it is cool enough to handle, simply pull the meat away from the bone into pieces or slice it.
Make sure there’s plenty of sauce.
This dish is at its best when the chicken and noodles are generously coated. Toss the chicken through the warm sauce for a minute or two first, so it takes on even more flavour.
Adjust the chilli to suit you.
Leave out the chilli flakes for a milder version, or add a little chilli oil when serving if you like more heat.
Other Asian-Inspired Recipes
Gluten-Free Chinese Ginger Scallion Chicken
Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 30 mins
INGREDIENTS
Chicken:
3 chicken Maryland pieces (drumstick and thigh)
5-6 cups water
4 slices fresh ginger
2 green onions, cut into 5 cm lengths and lightly smashed
10 whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon sea salt
Ginger Scallion Sauce:
2 tablespoons oil of choice
3 green onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional to add chilli oil)
2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari soy sauce*
1 tablespoon gluten-free oyster sauce*
¾ cup reserved chicken poaching liquid
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons sesame oil*
To Serve:
1 packet gluten-free rice vermicelli noodles*
*To keep my version gluten-free, I was happy to find that Chang’s has gluten-free options readily available here in Australia, including tamari, oyster sauce and rice vermicelli noodles.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare the Poaching Liquid
Add to a pot the chicken, ginger, green onions, peppercorns, sea salt, and enough water to cover and bring to a boil.
2. Poach the Chicken
Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Rest the Chicken and Prepare the Noodles
Turn off the heat, cover the pot and leave the chicken to rest in the poaching liquid for a further 15 minutes. To check that it is cooked, insert a chopstick or skewer into the thickest part of a thigh. The chicken is ready when the juices run clear. Meanwhile, place the rice vermicelli noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover completely with boiling water. Leave for 3–4 minutes, or until tender, then drain well.
4. Shred the Chicken
Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and reserve ¾ of a cup of the cooking liquid. Once cool enough to handle, shred or slice the chicken.
5. Cook the Ginger Scallion Sauce
While the chicken is cooling, add the oil to a small pot over medium heat. Add the green onions, ginger and chilli flakes, then cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the Tamari Light Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Sesame Oil and the reserved poaching liquid. Simmer for a few minutes.
6. Serve
Arrange the noodles on a serving platter and place the chicken over the top. Spoon the warm ginger scallion sauce generously over the chicken and noodles. Alternatively, coat the chicken with the sauce in a separate bowl and allow it to stand for 2 minutes to absorb the flavours before arranging it over the noodles. Serve immediately.
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This recipe is not sponsored.
I’ve simply used these products because they are gluten-free options available in Australia and work well in this recipe.
Margaret Pahos @CreateCookShare
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