-(bento)口水雞便當(辣🌶)(含花生🥜) / (bento)chicken In Special Chilli Sauce Bento(spicy🌶)(incl. Peanuts🥜) Recipe

Prepare and Poach

Rinse chicken and trim excess fat. In a pot large enough to hold chicken comfortably, add 2000 ml water, smashed ginger slices, smashed white parts of green onion, and 1 tbs salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

When the water just begins to simmer (small bubbles rising, not a rolling boil), gently lower the chicken pieces into the pot, breast-side down. Maintain a gentle simmer—adjust heat so the surface shows small bubbles but does not boil vigorously. Poach for 12–18 minutes for thigh/leg pieces (internal temp 74–77°C / 165–170°F).

Turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the chicken sit in the hot water and finish cooking in the residual heat for another 10 minutes to keep meat tender and moist.

Prepare an ice bath (mix cold water and ice). Remove chicken from the pot and immediately plunge into the ice bath for 3 minutes to stop cooking and tighten skin slightly. This gives a smooth, slightly gelatinous skin texture typical of Hainan chicken.

Drain chicken, pat mostly dry, then rub lightly with 1 tsp neutral oil to give shine and help slice. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-sized strips or slice into 1 cm pieces, keeping some skin attached. Reserve 2 tbs of the poaching liquid to add to the spicy sauce (cooled).

Rinse 2 cups rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain.

Combine rinsed rice, 2.2 cups water, and 0.25 tsp salt in a rice cooker or pot. Cook according to your rice cooker instructions or bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 12–15 minutes until water absorbed. Let rest covered 8–10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

In a small bowl, combine 3 tbs chili oil, 1 tbs Sichuan chili crisp (if using), 1.5 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tbs black or rice vinegar, 1 tbs sesame paste, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp light brown sugar, and 2 tbs cooled chicken poaching liquid or warm water. Whisk until smooth.

Whisk in 0.5 tsp toasted sesame oil and 0.25 tsp Sichuan pepper oil or a pinch of ground Sichuan pepper for floral numbing quality (optional). Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed; final sauce should be spicy, tangy, slightly sweet and savory.

If the sauce seems too thick, add 1–2 tsp warm water or reserved poaching liquid to reach a pourable consistency suitable for drizzling over chicken.

Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully add eggs and boil for 7 minutes for jammy yolks. Immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes to stop cooking.

Peel eggs, and in a small container combine 3 tbs light soy sauce, 3 tbs water, 1 tsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp mirin (optional). Place peeled eggs in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (overnight for stronger color/flavor). Slice in half when ready to assemble.

Julienne cucumber into thin matchsticks and lightly salt for 5 minutes, then squeeze excess water. This creates crisp shredded cucumber to place under or beside the chicken.

Coarsely crush roasted peanuts and toast white sesame seeds in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.

Prepare 2 small side dishes: portion 1/2 cup pickled mustard greens or quick-pickled carrots and 1/2 cup blanched greens seasoned with a drop of soy and 1/4 tsp sesame oil. Chill or serve room temperature.

Divide cooked rice between two bento boxes or plates (about 1 cup cooked rice per serving).

Place shredded poached chicken on top of or next to the rice. Spoon 2–3 tbs of the spicy mouthwatering sauce over the chicken (adjust based on heat preference). Reserve extra sauce on the side if desired.

Arrange julienned cucumber beside the chicken, add the halved marinated egg, and place the two side vegetable portions into the bento compartments.

Sprinkle crushed peanuts (about 1.5 tbs per bento) and toasted white sesame seeds over the sauced chicken. Garnish with fresh cilantro on the side (keep cilantro separate for takeout as requested).

If you prefer extra sheen, warm 1 tsp neutral oil until shimmering and carefully pour over the chicken just before serving to release aroma (optional). Serve warm or at room temperature.