Chinese Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
This recipe for braised Chinese chicken is all about cozy, rich, hearty, and savory flavors. The chicken and shiitake mushrooms are cooked in a flavorful sauce, resulting in tender and juicy meat, making this dish a truly satisfying meal when served with rice or noodles.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs (bone-in) ((approx. 4 chicken thighs, or 6 drums))
- 5-6 dried shiitake mushrooms ((dried or fresh, can sub with straw or button mushrooms))
- 1 small onion
- 2 slice ginger
- 2 clove garlic
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 stalk green onions
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy ((can sub with regular soy sauce))
- 11/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 11/2 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
- 11/4 cup water reserved from mushroom soak ((or water, or no sodium broth))
- 3/4 cup white wine ((or light beers like lagers. Can sub with low sodium broth.))
Instructions
- 1
If you're using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak 5-6 dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water for about 30 minutes or until they are soft. I like to use a small bowl or plate to keep the mushrooms submerged in the water so they rehydrate more quickly. Prepare the rest of the ingredients while you wait.
- 2
Slice 2 slices ginger and set it aside. Then peel and thinly slice 1 small onion and set it aside.
- 3
Peel 2 cloves garlic and smash it with the side of your knife. Keep them whole (don't worry they will melt into the braising liquid during braising.)
- 4
Cut 2 stalks green onions into 2-inch lengths. Cut the thick white parts again in half, lengthwise.
- 5
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy, 1½ tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1½ tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine. Set this braising sauce aside for later.
- 6
Once the mushrooms are soft and hydrated, rub the gills under running water to remove any grit, then cut off the stems and discard them. Slice the mushrooms in half, set them aside for later, and don't forget to save the mushroom soaking water for the braise.
- 7
Pat 1 lb chicken thighs (bone-in) dry, sprinkle a bit of salt on it, and set it aside.
- 8
Set a pot over the stove and set it to medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add oil.
- 9
Add the chicken thighs in skin side down and brown it for 30 seconds to a minute. Give it time to form a crust before you flip it.
- 10
Plate chicken and set aside.
- 11
Add the sliced onions, sliced ginger, 2 star anise, and 2 bay leaves to the pot with the chicken drippings, and toast for 1-2 minutes. Do not add the garlic yet
- 12
Add ¾ cup white wine into the pot, and use a wooden spoon to scrape out the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. There's a lot of flavor in it, and it's called the fond. Do this for about 1-2 minutes, to cook out the alcohol as well.
- 13
Add the browned chicken, cut shiitake mushrooms, smashed garlic cloves, 1¼ cups water reserved from mushroom soak, and braising sauce into the pot and mix everything together. Make sure everything is submerged in the liquid, especially the chicken.**Do not use the water near the bottom of the bowl, which may contain grit. If you don't have 1¼ cups of water from the leftover mushroom water, you can make up the difference with plain water or low-sodium chicken broth.
- 14
Let everything simmer together for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat with the lid on.
- 15
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and simmer for another 12-15 minutes to reduce the sauce to a syrupy consistency. Flip the chicken to get flavor on the other side if it's not fully submerged in liquid.
- 16
After the sauce has thickened, add the green onions and stir everything for 1 minute until the green onions wilt.
- 17
Your Chinese braised chicken is now ready to be served. Enjoy it with steamed rice or your favorite noodles.