Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Dezhou Braised Chicken

山東德州扒雞

Dezhou Braised Chicken — finished dish

Total time: 110 min
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Dezhou braised chicken is slowly cooked whole until the meat is tender and the skin richly coloured.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

1 kg whole chicken
30 g ginger
40 g spring onions
30 g dried shiitake mushrooms

Marinade

1 tsp salt
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

Browning oil

2 tbsp cooking oil

Braising stock

1 L water
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
20 g rock sugar
2 pieces star anise

Dezhou Braised Chicken — ingredients

02

Tools

cutting board
knife
stockpot
slotted spoon
ladle
measuring spoons

Dezhou Braised Chicken — tools

03

Steps

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Remove the giblets, rinse the chicken and pat it dry

Step 1

Remove the giblets, rinse the chicken and pat it dry

Remove the giblets, rinse the chicken and pat it dry.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Rub the chicken with salt and Shaoxing wine

Step 2

Rub the chicken with salt and Shaoxing wine

Rub the chicken with salt and Shaoxing wine.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Soak the mushrooms and slice ginger and spring onions

Step 3

Soak the mushrooms and slice ginger and spring onions

Soak the mushrooms and slice ginger and spring onions.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Heat two tablespoons of oil in a heavy stockpot over medium heat

Step 4

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a heavy stockpot over medium heat

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a heavy stockpot over medium heat.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Put the chicken skin-side down and turn it every two minutes until evenly golden

Step 5

Put the chicken skin-side down and turn it every two minutes until evenly golden

Put the chicken skin-side down and turn it every two minutes until evenly golden.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Lift out the chicken and pour off excess fat, leaving a thin film in the pot

Step 6

Lift out the chicken and pour off excess fat, leaving a thin film in the pot

Lift out the chicken and pour off excess fat, leaving a thin film in the pot.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Fry ginger, spring onion and star anise in a stockpot until fragrant

Step 7

Fry ginger, spring onion and star anise in a stockpot until fragrant

Fry ginger, spring onion and star anise in a stockpot until fragrant.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Return chicken and add water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and rock sugar

Step 8

Return chicken and add water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and rock sugar

Return chicken and add water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and rock sugar.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Add mushrooms and bring the braising liquid to a boil

Step 9

Add mushrooms and bring the braising liquid to a boil

Add mushrooms and bring the braising liquid to a boil.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Cover and braise over low heat for seventy minutes until the thigh meat is tender

Step 10

Cover and braise over low heat for seventy minutes until the thigh meat is tender

Cover and braise over low heat for seventy minutes until the thigh meat is tender.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Turn every fifteen minutes and confirm the thickest thigh reaches 74°C

Step 11

Turn every fifteen minutes and confirm the thickest thigh reaches 74°C

Turn every fifteen minutes and confirm the thickest thigh reaches 74°C.

Dezhou Braised Chicken — Uncover, reduce the sauce for five minutes, rest, chop and spoon over the sauce

Step 12

Uncover, reduce the sauce for five minutes, rest, chop and spoon over the sauce

Uncover, reduce the sauce for five minutes, rest, chop and spoon over the sauce.

Common mistakes

Failing to turn the chicken leaves the upper side underseasoned; turn it regularly.

Tips

Check the thickest thigh with a probe; it must reach 74°C before serving.