Today, small shops serving braised chicken with rice are a common sight on the streets, but very few actually make it delicious. In my opinion, the reason it's not tasty isn't due to poor cooking skills, but the key is the wrong ingredients. Just think about it, who would use high-quality, fresh, tender, and plump yellow-feathered chicken to make a plate of braised chicken for you?
Braised Chicken
How to make braised chicken
So-called "braising" is actually very simple: first, sear the chicken until it's golden, then stir-fry and braise it. The process of searing the chicken until it's golden brown has two benefits: first, it renders out the fat from the chicken, making it more fragrant; second, during the braising process, the chicken is moistened by the chicken fat, which prevents it from being hard and dry, making it tender and savory. Therefore, a free-range, plump chicken is an excellent choice. Another feature of braised chicken is the addition of ingredients like wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoots, which not only makes the flavor richer and more umami but also creates a balanced and nutritious combination. Coupled with its simple preparation method, it can be considered a must-have, delicious, and nutritious way to cook chicken at home. Therefore, if you want to eat braised chicken, you don't need to go out at all; you can just make it yourself at home.
Main ingredients: Fresh yellow-feathered chicken (half a chicken), Ginger slices (5-6 pieces), Cooking wine (1 tablespoon), Five-spice powder (1 teaspoon), Salt (1/2 teaspoon), Light soy sauce (1 tablespoon), Oyster sauce (1 tablespoon)
Seasonings: Water-soaked winter bamboo shoots (100g), Dried shiitake mushrooms (10 pieces), Wood ear mushrooms (10g), Green and red chili peppers (1 in total), Green onion (1 stalk, as needed), Dried red chili peppers (5-6 pieces), Garlic (2 cloves), Salt (1/2 teaspoon), Rock sugar (1 teaspoon), Dark soy sauce (1/2 teaspoon), Shiitake mushroom water (as needed), Cooking oil (2 tablespoons), Cookware: Wok
1. Soak the shiitake mushrooms in advance;
2. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in advance;
3. Cut the winter bamboo shoots into pieces, wash them, and soak in water to remove any bitterness;
4. Chop the chicken into walnut-sized pieces, soak in clean water in advance, changing the water multiple times until the water is clear;
5. Pat the soaked chicken dry with a sanitized tea towel or kitchen paper;
6. Add 5-6 ginger slices, 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, 1 teaspoon of five-spice powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce. Mix well and marinate for at least 20 minutes;
7. Drain the winter bamboo shoots and set aside; shred the shiitake mushrooms and set aside; wash the wood ear mushrooms and tear into small pieces and set aside; slice the green onion diagonally and set aside; mince the garlic and set aside; wipe the dried red chili peppers clean and set aside; if using green or red bell peppers, prepare them now; clarify the mushroom water by removing any impurities and set aside;
8. Bring the mushroom water to a boil or heat it in the microwave until it's nearly boiling, and set aside.
9. Heat oil in a wok. Over low heat with a hot wok and cold oil, add the chicken pieces and all the marinade. Slowly stir-fry until the chicken releases its oil and the surface is golden brown. Remove and set aside;
10. In the original wok, sauté the minced garlic and dried red chili peppers until the chilies turn a deep jujube red;
11. Add the wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoots, turn up the heat, and stir-fry evenly;
12. Add the chicken back in, turn up the heat, and stir-fry evenly;
13. Add the rock sugar and dark soy sauce, and stir-fry evenly;
14. Add the heated mushroom water, enough to cover the chicken; if there isn't enough mushroom water, you can add some more boiling water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover the wok, and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through, checking and stirring occasionally in the middle;
15. Add salt to taste, then turn up the heat to reduce the sauce;
16. Reduce until the sauce is thick and glossy. Add the green onion and green/red bell peppers, stir-fry evenly, turn off the heat, and serve.
Pro tips:
1. Cooking tip: Prepare all ingredients and seasonings before you start cooking. The process will be much smoother and more manageable.
2. The green and red bell peppers at the end are optional. You can add more if you like, or omit them if you don't.
3. This dish has only a mild spiciness. If you prefer it spicier, you can add more dried chilies and break them up while stir-frying.
4. You control the final reduction of the sauce. If you want more sauce, reduce it for a shorter time; if you want a thicker sauce, reduce it for longer. There is no fixed standard.
5. Don't forget to cook a pot of rice.
Yellow chicken