Steamed Ginger Scallion Chicken

Looking for an easy steamed chicken recipe that's juicy, flavorful, and packed with aroma? This Chinese-style steamed ginger scallion chicken is a simple, delicious meal you'll want to make again and again. The chicken is tender and succulent, while the fragrant ginger scallion sauce gives the dish a savory, aromatic flavor explosion to every bite. With just 7 ingredients and 30 minutes, this budget-friendly recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you want something delicious with minimal effort.

For more chicken recipes perfect for weeknight dinners, check out our char siu chicken, chicken katsu, and chicken with mixed vegetables stir fry!

Jump to:

• Ingredients notes and substitutions
• How to make steamed ginger scallion chicken
• Tips from our kitchen
• Storage
• Reheating
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Feedback

Ingredients notes and substitutions

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!

• Chicken drumsticks - We opted for chicken drumsticks because it's the most affordable with the most flavor, however, you can definitely substitute it for chicken thighs. If you want more protein, you can also use chicken breasts.
  • For boneless thighs, it'll take about 13-18 minutes and about 25-30 minutes for boned-in chicken thighs.
  • Chicken breasts will take about 20-30 minutes, depending on how thick they are.
• Fresh ginger - Do not substitute with ground ginger! The flavor and texture will be different. However, you could do without the ginger if you're in a pinch.
• Scallion/green onion
• Bird's eye chili - This is optional if you want to add some heat to your dish.
• Oil - Any neutral oil will do. We like to use avocado oil but vegetable or canola oil is fine too.
• Soy sauce - We used regular soy sauce. If you're using light sodium soy sauce, you may need to use more or supplement with salt as needed.
• Chicken bouillon powder - Although we'll be adding a concentrated chicken broth to the sauce, a little of this bouillon powder will make the sauce extra tasty!
• Sugar - We added a little sugar to the sauce to round out the flavor, but you can reduce or omit the sugar all together if you prefer.

How to make steamed ginger scallion chicken

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!

1. Prepare the aromatics. Slice a third of the ginger into slices and one stalk of scallion into 2 inch (5cm) pieces. These will be for the chicken. Mince the remaining ginger and thinly slice the remaining scallions. Place both into a heatproof bowl along with the chili (if using).

2. Steam the chicken. Prepare a steaming setup. For this recipe, our go-to set up is placing a steam rack inside of a large pot or wok with a lid. Bring a couple inches (about 5cm) of water to a boil in your steamer.

In a heatproof plate, place a heatproof bowl upside down in the center. Then arrange the chicken drumsticks around the bowl and scatter the sliced ginger and scallion pieces on top. Once the water is boiling, carefully place the plate into the steamer and steam the chicken on high heat for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Once cooked, carefully remove the plate and transfer the chicken into a bowl. Discard the aromatics and reserve the chicken broth that is now trapped under the upside-down bowl (thanks, physics!).

3. Make the sauce. While the chicken is cooking, heat the oil in a small pan until it's shimmering and just starts to smoke. Pour the hot oil over the bowl of aromatics and season it with soy sauce, sugar, and chicken bouillon powder. Give it a good mix and when the chicken is done cooking, add ½ cup of the reserved broth and mix well.

4. Finish and serve. When the chicken is more comfortable to handle (or use a fork while it's hot), shred it into bite-size pieces.

At this point, you can either mix the shredded chicken in the sauce and serve with rice or arrange the shredded chicken on a plate or on a bed of rice and spoon your desired amount of sauce over the chicken and rice. Enjoy while it's warm!

Tips from our kitchen

• We highly recommend using a coupe type plate instead of a flat plate for steaming because the cooking process will create a flavorful chicken broth and you don't want to waste any of it!
• You'll likely have leftover chicken broth. So you can either sip on it (so good!) or just add it to your sauce. If adding to your sauce, season with 1-2 tablespoons more soy sauce and a little more sugar and bouillon powder.
• An easy way to check if the chicken is cooked is by stabbing the thickest part of the chicken with a knife or fork. If the juice runs clear, the chicken is cooked. If the juice is pink, cook for a few more minutes.
• If you prefer using less oil (up to 2 tablespoons less), cook the aromatics in the oil instead of pouring hot oil over the aromatics. To do so, heat the oil in a pan around medium to medium-high heat and cook the aromatics (scallion, ginger, and chili) in the pan until the scallions have just wilted.

Storage

Leftover ginger scallion chicken can be stored in an airtight container and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days. If the chicken hasn't been tossed in the sauce yet, it can be frozen for up to 1 month. The ginger scallion sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Reheating

The best way to reheat your steamed ginger scallion chicken is by steaming it or microwaving until hot. If microwaving, make sure to cover it to prevent splattering.

📖 Recipe