Cantonese Steamed Chicken with Fermented Bean Curd

Cantonese Steamed Chicken with Fermented Bean Curd (腐乳蒸雞) is one of those home dishes my dad always makes. It’s simple, comforting, healthy and the sauce that comes out after steaming makes you want endless bowls of rice.

Watch How to Make It

what is Cantonese Steamed Chicken with Fermented Bean Curd?

Cantonese Steamed Chicken with Fermented Bean Curd, or 腐乳蒸雞 (fu yu zing gai), is a classic home-style dish featuring tender chicken thighs, shiitake mushrooms, and cordyceps flowers. The star ingredient is fermented bean curd. If you’ve never tried it before, think of it like miso or cheese. It’s funky, savoury, creamy and full of umami, making this dish incredibly flavourful.

The chicken is steamed with ginger, dried shiitake mushrooms and cordyceps flowers, soaking up all the flavours of the marinade. Like I say in all my steamed recipes, the steaming process results in juicy, tender meat and a naturally flavourful sauce that is perfect for spooning over bowls of white rice.

My dad always makes this dish at home because it is so simple. You just need a few ingredients, slice the chicken thighs, marinate, and steam. In under 30 minutes, you can make a healthy and flavourful meal that is perfect for lunch or dinner!

ingredients

Check out the recipe card below for the full ingredient list.

Fermented Bean Curd

Fermented bean curd, also called fermented tofu or fu yu (腐乳) in Cantonese is a classic ingredient in Chinese cooking. It’s kind of like cheese, it’s pungent, creamy, salty and packed with umami. It adds depth and savouriness to dishes like this Cantonese steamed chicken.

It’s basically small blocks of tofu fermented in a mixture of salt, rice wine and sometimes seasonings until they develop a soft, creamy texture and rich flavour. Unlike miso, Chinese fermented bean curd stays in firm little blocks which you can mash when cooking. In terms of how it tastes, it’s savoury, slightly funky and has a strong umami flavour.

You can easily find fermented bean curd at most Asian supermarkets or on Amazon. There are a few different types though, some are spiced with chilli, and some are bright red because they’ve been fermented with red yeast rice, giving them a slightly sweeter flavour. For this recipe, we’ll stick to the regular kind.

how to make this dish

1. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in room-temperature water overnight, making sure they are fully submerged. If you’re short on time, use hot water and soak for 20–30 minutes until softened and plump. Slice the mushrooms and reserve the soaking water for the marinade.
2. If using cordyceps flowers, soak them in room-temperature water for 30 minutes until softened.
3. In a bowl, combine the sliced chicken thighs, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, cordyceps flowers, and julienned ginger with the marinade ingredients. Mix well and leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
4. Transfer the marinated chicken to a heatproof deep plate and spread it in an even layer so it cooks evenly.
5. Place a steaming rack in a deep wok and add about 2 inches of hot water. Set the plate of chicken on the rack, turn the heat to high, and cover with a lid. Once the water starts to boil, steam for 12–15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
6. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve immediately with steamed rice. Enjoy!

looking for more steamed dishes?

• Cantonese Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce
• Chinese Steamed Egg
• Chinese Steamed Cabbage Rolls

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