Steamed chicken with dried lily flowers (金针蒸鸡)
jin zhen zheng ji (金针蒸鸡)
Chicken steamed over dried lily flowers, shiitake and goji until just cooked. A light, gentle main for the middle weeks of the month.
For a day when a rich braise feels like too much, this gently steamed chicken is a quiet, nourishing alternative: tender pieces of chicken over soaked lily flowers and shiitake, finished with a scatter of goji.
Why this dish
Steaming keeps everything light and adds barely any fat, which suits the middle weeks. Dried lily flowers and goji bring colour and a mild, nourishing note the tradition values, while a little ginger and sesame oil keep the plate gently warming without tipping it into richness.
Keeping it tender
The whole dish lives or dies on not overcooking the chicken, so steam it hard and check early. Add the goji only in the last few minutes so they stay plump and bright rather than dissolving into the plate.
For where lighter dishes sit in the month, see how the 30 days are structured.
The recipe
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 3 as part of a meal
Why this ingredient
Dried lily flower (金针菜)
The dried, unopened buds of the daylily, golden and slightly chewy once soaked. Also called golden needles, they are a familiar steaming ingredient valued in the tradition as gently nourishing. Soak them until soft, trim any hard tips, and tie each in a loose knot so they hold their shape on the plate.
Why this ingredient
Goji berry (枸杞)
Small red berries with a mild sweetness, long associated in the tradition with nourishing the blood and the liver. A spoonful lifts the colour of a pale steamed dish; add them near the end so they plump without turning mushy.
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken pieces, cut small Thigh stays moist when steamed; cut into bite-sized pieces so it cooks evenly.
- 20 g dried lily flowers, soaked and knotted Soak until pliable; tying each in a loose knot keeps them neat and stops them tangling.
- 4 dried shiitake, soaked and sliced For savoury depth; keep the soaking water for another dish.
- 1 tablespoon goji berries Added near the end for colour and a little sweetness.
- 2 teaspoons light soy, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, splash of rice wine A light marinade so the dish stays clean and gentle.
- 10 g old ginger, shredded Shredded fine so it perfumes the plate without dominating.
Method
- 1 Soak the lily flowers and shiitake separately until soft; trim the lily flowers and tie each in a loose knot, and slice the shiitake.
- 2 Marinate the chicken with the light soy, sesame oil, rice wine and shredded ginger for about 15 minutes.
- 3 Spread the lily flowers and shiitake on a heatproof plate and lay the chicken on top.
- 4 Steam over strong heat for about 18 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through.
- 5 Scatter over the goji and steam for a final minute, then serve.
Notes and substitutions
- Marinate the chicken for 15 minutes so it seasons through before steaming.
- Steam over a strong, steady heat and check at 18 minutes; overcooking dries the chicken.
- Scatter the goji over only in the last few minutes so they stay plump and bright.
Before you cook this
- Use only culinary dried lily flowers from a grocer; soak and cook them fully rather than eating them raw.
- A splash of rice wine is optional; leave it out if you prefer to avoid alcohol while breastfeeding.
Common questions
What are dried lily flowers?
They are the dried buds of the daylily, sold as golden needles at Chinese grocers. They have a gentle, slightly tangy flavour and a pleasant chew once soaked, and they turn up often in steamed and braised dishes. They are unrelated to ornamental lilies, some of which are not edible.
Why steam rather than braise?
Steaming keeps the dish light and adds almost no fat, which suits the middle weeks when you may want something nourishing but not heavy. It also keeps the chicken especially tender and lets the mild flavours of the lily flowers and goji come through.