Steamed Kampung Chicken With Black Bean Sauce Recipe

Prepare the chicken

Clean the kampung chicken: remove any excess fat, residual pin feathers and innards if present. Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels.

Spatchcock or halve (optional): for more even and quicker steaming, you can remove the backbone and flatten the chicken or cut it into 8 pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breast pieces). If using whole chicken, prick the flesh lightly so marinade penetrates.

Marinate: in a large bowl, combine 2 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tbs Shaoxing wine, 1 tbs cornstarch, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp white pepper and 1 tsp salt. Rub this marinade all over the chicken (and under the skin where possible). Let sit for 20–30 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours refrigerated.

Prepare ingredients: rinse the fermented black beans lightly under water to remove excess salt, then roughly chop. Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 2 tsp water to make a slurry and set aside.

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped black beans and fry for 20–30 seconds until aromatic, then add the minced garlic, minced ginger and sliced shallot. Stir-fry gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and shallot softens but does not brown heavily.

Add sauces and stock: pour in 1 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 60 ml chicken stock and 1 tsp sugar. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer for 1 minute.

Thicken: stir the cornstarch slurry, add to the pan and simmer for another 30–60 seconds until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set aside. Taste and adjust seasoning (add a pinch of salt or a drop more soy if desired).

Set up steamer: prepare a wok or large steamer with a rack and bring water to a rolling simmer. If steaming a whole or spatchcocked chicken, make sure the steamer is large enough so the lid closes without touching the chicken.

Steam the chicken: place the marinated chicken on a heatproof plate or shallow platter. If pieces, arrange skin-side up. Transfer to the steamer rack and steam over medium-high steam. Steam times: pieces (about 20–25 minutes), spatchcocked chicken (30–35 minutes), whole kampung chicken (approx. 40–50 minutes) depending on size — cook until internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F) at the thickest part and juices run clear. Avoid oversteaming to keep texture tender.

Rest: carefully remove the plate from the steamer. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.

Dress with sauce: spoon the warm black bean sauce evenly over the steamed chicken, making sure to get sauce into cut crevices and under the skin where possible. Garnish with julienned green onions, chopped cilantro, sliced red chili and fried garlic/shallots (if using).

Optional quick flash-fry for skin (if you want slightly crisp skin): heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a small skillet until shimmering and carefully spoon hot oil over the chicken skin right before serving to sizzle the aromatics and slightly crisp the skin. Do this at the serving table or in the kitchen with caution.

Carve and plate: cut the chicken into serving pieces if whole. Arrange on a serving platter with any accumulated juices and additional sauce on the side.

Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice and an extra drizzle of light soy or reserved black bean sauce to taste.