Chinese Braised Chicken

An easy, savoury home-cooked meal of braised chicken in oyster sauce is all you need to have a taste of Chinese comfort food. This dish is saucy, aromatic and fragrant, and best eaten with plain steamed rice.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

12 chicken drumsticks
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp pepper
1 thumb-length ginger knob
3 garlic cloves
3 stalks spring onion
4 pieces of rock sugar or 1 tablespoon regular sugar
1/2 tbsp Chinese wine

 

FOR THE SAUCE:
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp chicken seasoning powder
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp thick dark soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
pinch salt

 

Direction:

Step 1:    Season chicken drumsticks with light soy sauce and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and slice ginger knob and garlic cloves. Cut the white part of spring onions into 1-inch lengths. Finely chop the green part for garnishing. Combine the sauce ingredients.

 

Step 2:    Heat up a wok over high heat with oil until hot.  Add rock sugar till it starts to melt.  Add the chicken drumsticks and toss until they change colour. Drizzle in the Chinese wine and stir fry briskly until well combined.  Add the ginger, garlic and spring onion (white sections).

            

 

Step 3:    Pour in the combined sauce ingredients.  Add chicken broth or water till chicken is covered. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the wok or pot with it’s lid, reduce to low heat, and let braise until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes or longer, depending on your desired tenderness.

    

 

When almost done, taste the sauce. If a more intense flavour is desired, leave the pot uncovered and allow sauce to reduce. As the water evaporates, the saltiness or sweetness of the sauce will also be intensified, so adjust to your taste by adding more salt or more sugar.  Garnish liberally with chopped spring onions and serve immediately.