Chaozhou Tieguanyin Tea-Smoked Chicken Legs
A fragrant smoked chicken infused with Tieguanyin tea, tender and juicy with a golden amber skin. A creative Chaozhou dish for special occasions.
Ingredients
14 items- Chicken legs (drumsticks) 4 (about 800g)
- Tieguanyin tea leaves 15g
- Rice 30g
- Brown sugar 20g
- All-purpose flour 10g
- Soy sauce 2 tbsp
- Dark soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Shaoxing wine 1 tbsp
- Ginger 5 slices
- Scallions 2 stalks
- Sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp
- Salt 1 tsp
- Sesame oil 1 tbsp
- Dipping sauce (optional) to taste
Nutrition
Steps （7 steps）
Place 7.5g Tieguanyin tea in a cup, pour 300ml boiling water (95°C), cover and steep for 5 min. Strain, reserve tea broth and squeezed leaves.
Pat chicken dry, prick all over with a fork. Slice ginger and cut scallions.
In a bowl, combine chicken with soy sauces, wine, ginger, scallions, Sichuan pepper, salt, and 50ml tea broth. Rub well, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Mix remaining tea (7.5g), rice, sugar, and flour. Line a wok with foil, spread the smoking mixture.
Place a rack in wok; put chicken on it. Cover tightly. Heat on high 3 min until yellow smoke appears, then low heat, smoke 12-15 min until amber and fragrant. Turn off heat.
Let rest 1 min, uncover. Transfer chicken, brush with sesame oil while hot. Let cool slightly, chop into pieces, and arrange on plate.
Fry a pinch of Tieguanyin leaves in warm oil until crispy (30 sec), drain and sprinkle over chicken.
Tips
Marinate longer for deeper flavor; best overnight. Control heat during smoking to avoid bitterness. Tieguanyin can be substituted with other oolong tea. Fry tea leaves at low temperature.
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