Cold Poached Chicken with Kumquat Sauce

Recipe by Cat Yeh, as seen on Instagram.

Kumquat sauce is a lesser known but definitive ingredient in Taiwanese Hakka cuisine. It’s made from kumquats, chili, rice wine, and not much else. It lends a peppery, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor that pairs well with cold poached meats, tofu, or crispy greens as a dip or dressing.

Pairing poached chicken with kumquat sauce is the classic Hakka combination—and the recipe is dead simple. Simply poach the chicken in a light stock with aromatics and star anise, cool in an ice bath, slice, dress, and serve. This dish, or any version of it, always sends me back to a warm night on the shores of Sun Moon Lake, where I ordered this dish and listened to distant temple music float across the surface of the water.

Made by carefully preserving both pulp and peel, then blending them with chili and rice wine, the kumquat sauce is just tangy enough to bring that smiley, puckering feeling to the cheeks. It has a wonderful complexity from the preserved citrus, similar to the sophistication of a brined lemon.

Cold Poached Chicken with Kumquat Sauce
冷水煮雞配金桔醬

Ingredients

• 2 whole chicken legs or 4 boneless chicken thighs (skin on)
• 1 stalk scallion
• 4-6 slices fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled and smashed
• 3 star anise
• Ice
• Curly parsley or cilantro
• Geli Kumquat Sauce

Instructions

1. Debone the chicken legs, if not using boneless thighs.
2. Place the chicken legs or thighs in a medium pot and add enough water 
to cover. Add the scallions, ginger, garlic, and star anise.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid, and let the chicken poach in the hot stock for another 10 minutes.
4. Insert a chopstick into the thickest part of the leg. If the juices run clear, it's done. If pink, bring back to a simmer and cook for another 
5–10 minutes and test again. Repeat until juices run clear.
5. Once done, immediately transfer the chicken to an ice bath. Let cool for 20–30 minutes.
6. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Slice the chicken crosswise, place on a plate, drizzle with kumquat sauce, and garnish with parsley or cilantro. Alternatively, serve with kumquat sauce on the side.