Preparing chicken
To have a golden color and a comb that is not dark, the blood must be drained when cutting. According to folk experience, the technique for cutting the blood is "cutting the ears of the rooster and the neck of the hen". After that, clean the feathers, remove all the lungs and wash away any remaining blood.
When washing chicken, pay attention. For roosters with thinner skin, wash with diluted salt water and gently rub lemon on the skin, then rinse again. For hens with thicker skin, you can rub salt and lemon directly. Some people are more careful and quickly blanch/dip the chicken in running water to remove impurities, then rinse before boiling.
Boiling chicken
Depending on taste and purpose, you can flexibly boil from cold or hot water. If you want the meat to be naturally sweet, you can boil it from slightly bubbling water (70 degrees Celsius). If you want the sweet water to be used to cook other dishes, boil it from cold water. Be careful to measure the amount of water to cover the chicken so that it cooks evenly and does not darken the comb.
For ceremonial roosters (fairy-winged chickens)
Normally, roosters with thin skin should be boiled from cold water to ensure that the skin is rarely torn. When boiling, use a thick-bottomed pot or carefully place a ceramic plate on the bottom and put the chicken on it. Pour water to cover the surface, add crushed grilled ginger (should be washed so that the skin has more aromatic essential oils), a little salt (dry roasting will make the water sweeter and clearer).
For chicken cut into dishes (capon, hen)
You can boil it from the water, but before boiling, dip it twice to get used to the heat, then take it out and wash it. Then boil it again, simmer it on low heat and simmer as above.
About color
With free-range chickens, free-range chickens that eat corn and rice that are old enough, when boiled, they will naturally turn a beautiful golden yellow. As for large-scale chickens that are not old enough, if you want the skin to be yellow, there are 2 ways: When preparing, rub fresh turmeric or dip it in a pot of boiling water mixed with turmeric powder (a separate pot before boiling), take it out and wash it before boiling.
Note
When boiling chicken or meat with a firm, thick muscle structure, boil it over a simmering fire and soak it. Because the gentle temperature helps the protein cook slowly, keeping the water moist and the skin surface crispy, with a golden yellow sap (for chicken). Avoid boiling over high heat, which causes the protein to twist and squeeze out the water, making the meat dry and the outer skin torn.