A lower-calorie way to make Steamed chicken with ginger
Steamed chicken with ginger cooks over cabbage in its own juices
Skinless chicken steams above napa cabbage and mushrooms, creating its own ginger sauce for a complete plate around 450 kcal with rice.
Steaming is light only when the finishing oil is controlled. Chicken lies on napa cabbage and mushrooms, so its ginger-scented juices season the vegetables instead of disappearing into the steamer. A small amount of sesame oil is mixed into those juices after cooking. The method produces sauce, vegetables and protein in one heatproof plate without frying.
What changes—and what stays
From with skin-on chicken and a generous hot-oil ginger dressing often 580–760 kcal to 450 calories
Steam skinless chicken over 700 grams of cabbage and mushrooms, then season the captured juices with just five grams of sesame oil. Fresh ginger perfumes the steam, mushroom and chicken juices pool beneath the meat, and scallion plus sesame brighten that natural broth.
| Part | Conventional | Lighter | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core method | More added fat or a heavier proportion | Steam skinless chicken over 700 grams of cabbage and mushrooms, then season the captured juices with just five grams of sesame oil | Fresh ginger perfumes the steam, mushroom and chicken juices pool beneath the meat, and scallion plus sesame brighten that natural broth. |
How the flavor stays
Fresh ginger perfumes the steam, mushroom and chicken juices pool beneath the meat, and scallion plus sesame brighten that natural broth.
A cost rule that survives inflation
Cabbage is an economical base that catches every drop of flavour, while mushrooms and ginger make a modest chicken portion taste complete.
Ingredients for 5
Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.
- 900 gskinless chicken breast and thigh
- 700 gnapa cabbage
- 400 gfresh mushrooms
- 70 gginger
- 100 gscallions
- 35 mlreduced-salt soy sauce
- 5 gsesame oil
- 20 mlShaoxing wine
- 15 gcornflour
- 300 gdry brown rice
Method
Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.
Step 1 · follow the visible cue
Flatten chicken to an even thickness
Slice thicker pieces horizontally, then coat lightly with soy, wine, ginger and cornflour while the steamer comes to a full boil.
Look for: The chicken pieces match in thickness and wear a thin moist film without clumps of white starch.
Step 2 · follow the visible cue
Build an edible rack from vegetables
Spread cabbage and sliced mushrooms on a heatproof plate, leaving small gaps, and arrange chicken in one layer above them.
Look for: No chicken pieces overlap, and the broad vegetable bed extends beneath every piece to catch the juices.
Step 3 · follow the visible cue
Steam hard, then verify the thickest piece
Place over actively boiling water, cover and steam without opening until the thickest piece reaches 74°C; rest covered for three minutes.
Look for: Chicken is opaque and springy with clear juices, while cabbage has softened but retains pale green ribs.
Step 4 · follow the visible cue
Turn captured juices into the dressing
Tilt the plate juices into a small bowl, mix with sesame oil and scallions, then spoon them back over the chicken and serve with rice.
Look for: The finished plate looks moist and glossy without a separate oil layer, and ginger remains clearly visible.
Calories at the same serving size
203 kcal · 31% lower estimated
The estimate uses the listed ingredients divided into 5 servings. Brand labels, trimming, and the amount left in the pan can change the result.
Keep the leftovers in the same spirit
Cool within two hours and refrigerate for three days. Keep rice separately and reheat both until steaming throughout.
Cool within two hours and refrigerate for three days. Keep rice separately and reheat both until steaming throughout.
Frequently asked questions
Can the cornflour be omitted?
Yes. It protects moisture but is not essential; the captured sauce will simply be thinner.
What if I do not own a steamer?
Set the plate on a rack inside a lidded wok above simmering water, making sure the water cannot touch it.
- skinless chicken breast and thigh900 g
- napa cabbage700 g
- fresh mushrooms400 g
- ginger70 g
CaloNote · mobile analysis example
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Recipe development and nutrition review: CaloNote Editorial
This editorial recipe uses ingredient-level nutrition estimates and reviewed cooking principles. It is not represented as physically test-cooked, and nutrition is approximate.
- Singapore Health Promotion Board — Energy and nutrient composition
- HealthHub Singapore — My Healthy Plate
Published and last reviewed: August 25, 2026
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