Last Updated on September 6, 2026 by Simon Fan
If you enjoy ginger, you’ll love this late-summer recipe featuring baby ginger (zi jiang 子姜 or 仔姜 in Mandarin), a seasonal delicacy prized for its tender texture and gentle heat.
Also known as young ginger, baby ginger is harvested early—typically 4 to 6 months after planting. Compared with mature ginger, it has thin, translucent skin, pale juicy flesh with little fiber, and a milder, slightly citrusy flavor.
You may already know that ginger’s heat comes mainly from gingerol, a compound found in much lower levels in baby ginger. Because it is tender and mild, baby ginger can be used as both a vegetable and an aromatic. Sliced or julienned, it works beautifully in stir-fries and steamed dishes, and it also makes excellent pickles (such as sushi ginger).
Baby ginger appears in many regional Chinese cuisines, especially Sichuan, Hunan, and Guangdong, where it pairs particularly well with poultry.
For this dish, cut the ginger into thin matchsticks. Marinate the chicken with half of the ginger so the flavors can blend, then add the remaining ginger after the chicken cooks to preserve its fresh crunch and bright flavor.
You can find baby ginger in Asian markets or farmers’ markets when it’s in season in late summer or early fall.
Steamed chicken with baby ginger (子姜蒸鸡)
Serves 2
Ingredients
60 g baby ginger
350 g boneless chicken meat (drumstick, thigh, or breast), with or without skin
Marinade
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions
- Cut the ginger into thin matchsticks about 5 cm long.
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces about 1 cm thick.
- In a bowl, combine the chicken with all marinade ingredients except the oil. Add half the ginger and mix well, then stir in the oil. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a heatproof plate that fits inside a steamer, or divide it between two plates for a two-tier steamer. Steam over high heat until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Scatter the remaining ginger over the chicken and place the scallion in the center. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over high heat until very hot, then pour it over the scallion. Mix well and enjoy.
