Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Braised Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms and Bean Curd Sticks
冬菇枝竹炆雞
Recipe overview
This Hong Kong home-style braise combines bone-in chicken, shiitake mushrooms and bean curd sticks. Soak mushrooms until plump and bean curd sticks only until softened, then braise the seared chicken in a light soy and oyster-sauce broth until tender with a little flowing sauce left.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 900 g Bone-in chicken thighs
- 10, about 45 g Dried shiitake mushrooms
- 120 g Dried bean curd sticks
- 20 g ginger, 5 garlic cloves, 3 scallions onion,
Chicken marinade
- 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce (for marinating the chicken)
- 1 tablespoon (optional) Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- a pinch White pepper
- 1 teaspoon (thin coating only). cornstarch
Braising sauce
- 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (for the braising sauce)
- 1 teaspoon (colour) dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 100 ml mushroom soaking liquid
- 450 ml. chicken stock
Cooking oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons. Cooking oil
02
Tools
- Large deep skillet or pot with lid
- Large deep skillet or pot with lid
- wooden spoon
- silicone spatula
- tongs
- Large bowl
- two medium bowls
- three small bowls
- measuring cup
- knife
- boards
- colander
- kitchen paper
- thermometer
- white deep plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Check chicken
Confirm no off smell, discoloration or slime; cut and pat dry. Never rinse raw chicken.
Step 2
Marinate and chill
Coat chicken lightly, cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
Step 3
Soak shiitake
Soak in warm water until plump, squeeze dry, remove stems and strain 100 ml soaking liquid.
Step 4
Soften bean curd sticks
Rinse quickly, soak in room-temperature water 10–15 minutes until bendable, then drain before they break down.
Step 5
Cut aromatics
Cut onion, slice ginger, crush garlic and separate scallion whites from greens.
Step 6
Mix braising sauce
Combine sauces, sugar, sesame oil, mushroom liquid and stock.
Step 7
Sear chicken
Heat oil in a deep pan, sear chicken skin-side down until golden in batches, then remove.
Step 8
Fry aromatics
Fry onion, ginger, garlic and scallion whites over medium heat; do not burn garlic.
Step 9
Add mushrooms and sauce
Return mushrooms, add braising sauce, bring to a boil and loosen browned bits.
Step 10
Braise chicken covered
Return chicken, cover and braise over medium-low heat 18 minutes, turning once.
Step 11
Add bean curd sticks
Add drained sticks and braise 6–8 minutes; chicken thickest part must reach 75°C and sauce must remain fluid.
Step 12
Finish and serve
Add scallion greens and a little sesame oil, rest 2 minutes and serve while chicken, mushrooms and sticks remain intact.
Common mistakes
- Do not rinse raw chicken, over-soak bean curd sticks, crowd the pan, burn garlic, reduce the sauce dry over high heat, skip the 75°C chicken check, or keep the finished dish hot for a long time.
Tips
Use only a thin starch coating, strain mushroom liquid and add bean curd sticks last. Chicken thickest part must reach 75°C. This recipe contains chicken, soy, wheat, sesame and shellfish; check allergen and sodium labels on sauces, stock and bean curd products. Refrigerate cooked food within two hours and reheat to 75°C.
