Hangzhou Braised Chicken
Tender chicken slowly braised in yellow wine, infused with ham and mushroom aroma. Fall-off-the-bone, rich sauce – a classic Hangzhou flavor.
Ingredients
14 items- Whole chicken (Sanhuang/three-yellow chicken) 1 (about 1.5 kg)
- Jinhua ham 50 g
- Dried shiitake mushrooms 6
- Winter bamboo shoots 100 g
- Scallions 3
- Ginger 1 piece (20 g)
- Yellow wine (Shaoxing wine) 100 ml
- Light soy sauce 2 tbsp (30 ml)
- Dark soy sauce 1 tbsp (15 ml)
- Rock sugar 30 g
- Salt 1 tsp (5 g)
- White pepper Pinch
- Cooking oil 1 tbsp (15 ml)
- Water As needed
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
Clean the chicken, remove feet and tail, pat dry. Rub inside and outside with a little salt and extra Shaoxing wine, let marinate for 10 minutes.
Soak dried shiitake in warm water for 30 minutes until soft, then slice. Blanch bamboo shoot slices in boiling water for 1 minute, drain. Slice ham and ginger, tie scallions into knots.
Heat a clay pot or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, add cooking oil. When oil is about 50% hot, fry ginger slices and scallion knots for 1 minute until fragrant.
Increase heat to high, place whole chicken in the pot, sear both sides until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in yellow wine, bring to a boil for 1 minute to cook off alcohol.
Add light and dark soy sauce, rock sugar, ham, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Pour in water up to halfway up the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove lid, turn heat to medium and reduce the sauce, constantly spooning it over the chicken, about 10 minutes until sauce is thick enough to coat the spoon.
Taste the sauce, adjust with salt and white pepper. Discard ginger and scallions. Carefully transfer the chicken to a serving plate, arrange the sides around it, and pour remaining sauce on top.
Garnish with chopped scallions or cilantro if desired. Serve hot – the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and richly flavored.
Tips
Searing the chicken first enhances the flavor; keep a gentle simmer to avoid burning; baste frequently for even color and depth; Jinhua ham can be replaced with regular ham but flavor will be slightly different; yellow wine is essential for removing gamey notes and adding aroma.
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