Secrets of poaching Singapore’s Hainanese Chicken

00:00 Poached chicken: key variables
00:43 Why core temperature matters - food safety
02:44 How various core temperatures affects taste & texture
04:39 Enhanced meat thermometer to constantly monitor temp
05:36 Watch out for carryover cooking
07:01 3 findings after cooking so many chickens
08:59 Slow start vs fast start method
11:15 Amount of water: what if the chicken is not covered with water?
12:59 Jelly under chicken skin after ice bath
15:31 Ideal serving temperature of chicken
16:52 Techniques summary for juicy chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole fresh chicken
4 litres water
1 kg ice
3 litres chilled water

Must have tools: meat thermometer, clock/timer

General method:
Chill sufficient water for ice bath overnight and freeze water for ice. Prepare a pot of water (see 11:15 for options for amount of water) and heat it (see 08:59 for slow start vs fast start). Put the chicken in. Check the core temperature after 30 minutes and remove once desired core temperature and timings are reached. Place in ice cold water bath for 1 hour. Cut and serve immediately while chilled.

Version 1 (speed to value): Take the chicken out from the fridge while bringing a pot of water with enough water to cover the chicken (usually 4 litres) up to a boil. Put the chicken in and immediately reduce the heat to low to maintain water temperature approx 80s°C. After 25 minutes, check the core breast temp. Remove the chicken once core breast temp registers 66°C. Rinse under running water and serve.

Version 2 (extra tender chicken): Fill a pot with enough water to cover the chicken. Start heating the pot on medium setting until water temperature reaches 70°C. Then turn the heat to maintain the water temperature. After about 1.5 hours, check the core breast temp. Once core breast temp registers 68°C, remove the chicken. Rinse under running water and serve. Optional: submerge in water to cool for 2 hours or ice bath for 1 hour before serving.

Version 3 (extra tender chicken, half poach): Fill a pot with enough water (about 2 litres) to half cover the chicken. Bring the water to a boil and put the chicken in, breast facing upwards and not touching the water and the thighs covered by water. Then turn the heat down to low to maintain the water temperature approx 80s°C. After 50 minutes, check the core breast temp. Once core breast temp registers 68°C, remove the chicken. Rinse under running water and serve. Optional: submerge in water to cool for 2 hours or ice bath for 1 hour before serving.

Notes:
For chicken breast core temperatures (in °C), 60/62 taste quite similar to each other, likewise for 65/68, 71/74. The differences are more stark for breast than for thigh. For the thigh, everything tastes juicy and becomes increasingly fibrous and bouncier as the core temp goes up. Chicken flavour generally improves as core temp is higher, but texture becomes more firm and less tender.

References

The Food Lab's Complete Guide to Sous Vide Chicken Breast (Serious eats) https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-...
Juicy Poached Chicken (Serious eats) https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-po...
Our Grandfather Story:    • Chilled Chicken Rice, Anyone? | Ming Kee C...  
Documentary in Mandarin but recommended watch for deepdive into chicken rice:    • Видео  
Reddit thread on Aspic in Hainanese chicken rice   / aspic_in_hainanese_chicken_rice  
Technical review of this probe and download probe data   / bought_2_probes_to_cook_hainanese_chicken