Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Steamed Chicken with Chinese Yam and Red Dates
淮山紅棗蒸雞
Recipe overview
Chinese yam absorbs the chicken juices while red dates and goji add gentle sweetness; steamed chicken thigh stays tender for a family meal suitable for elderly diners.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g boneless chicken thigh (cut into about 4 cm pieces)
- 250 g fresh Chinese yam (peeled and cut into 1 cm slices)
- 6 pieces red dates (pitted and halved)
- 10 g goji berries (briefly rinsed)
- 15 g ginger (finely shredded)
- 1 stalk spring onion (chopped)
Marinade
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 1 tbsp water
02
Tools
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- vegetable peeler
- mixing bowl
- measuring spoons
- chopsticks
- steamer
- steaming rack
- heatproof shallow dish
- food thermometer
- oven mitts
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare the steamer
Add water below the steaming rack, cover and bring to a steady steam.
Step 2
Check and cut the chicken
Thaw chicken in the refrigerator, check smell and colour, trim excess fat and cut into about 4 cm pieces using separate raw-meat tools.
Step 3
Rinse the dates and goji
Rinse the red dates and goji briefly; pit and halve the dates, then drain separately.
Step 4
Peel and slice the yam
Wear gloves to peel the Chinese yam, rinse it, cut into about 1 cm slices and place on the dish promptly to limit browning.
Step 5
Prepare ginger and spring onion
Finely shred the ginger and chop the spring onion; use ginger for steaming and reserve the onion for garnish.
Step 6
Mix the marinade
Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, sugar, cooking oil and water in a glass bowl until smooth.
Step 7
Marinate the chicken for 15 minutes
Coat the chicken with the marinade and half the ginger, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Step 8
Arrange the yam
Arrange the yam slices in one layer on a heatproof shallow dish, slightly overlapping without a tall pile.
Step 9
Add chicken, dates and goji
Spread chicken loosely over the yam, add red dates, goji and remaining ginger, and avoid thick piles.
Step 10
Steam for 18 to 20 minutes
Place the dish over steadily boiling water, cover and steam on high for 18 to 20 minutes without repeatedly lifting the lid.
Step 11
Check chicken doneness
Probe the thickest chicken piece; remove only at 75°C with no pink meat or bloody juices.
Step 12
Garnish and serve
Remove the dish with oven mitts, scatter over spring onion, rest for 2 minutes and serve hot.
Common mistakes
- Yam that is too thick stays firm, while very thin slices break apart.
- A thick pile of chicken prevents the centre from heating evenly.
Tips
Boneless thigh stays tender; cut it smaller for elderly diners.
Always remove date pits for safer eating by children and elderly diners.
