Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken

上海醉雞

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — finished dish

Total time: 55 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Shanghainese drunken chicken is poached, chilled and steeped in an aromatic Shaoxing wine brine.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

900 g whole chicken legs
30 g ginger
3 stalks spring onion
1 L iced water

Wine brine

250 ml Shaoxing wine
300 ml chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — ingredients

02

Tools

cutting board
knife
deep pot
ladle
measuring spoons

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — tools

03

Steps

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Pat the chicken dry; slice the ginger and knot the spring onions

Step 1

Pat the chicken dry; slice the ginger and knot the spring onions

Pat the chicken dry; slice the ginger and knot the spring onions.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Measure the stock, salt and sugar; reserve the wine for after cooling

Step 2

Measure the stock, salt and sugar; reserve the wine for after cooling

Measure the stock, salt and sugar; reserve the wine for after cooling.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Bring water, ginger and spring onion to a gentle simmer in a deep pot

Step 3

Bring water, ginger and spring onion to a gentle simmer in a deep pot

Bring water, ginger and spring onion to a gentle simmer in a deep pot.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Add the chicken and maintain a gentle simmer for 15 minutes

Step 4

Add the chicken and maintain a gentle simmer for 15 minutes

Add the chicken and maintain a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Turn off the heat, cover and poach in the residual heat for 15 minutes

Step 5

Turn off the heat, cover and poach in the residual heat for 15 minutes

Turn off the heat, cover and poach in the residual heat for 15 minutes.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Transfer the chicken immediately to iced water to cool

Step 6

Transfer the chicken immediately to iced water to cool

Transfer the chicken immediately to iced water to cool.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Boil the stock with salt and sugar until dissolved, then cool completely

Step 7

Boil the stock with salt and sugar until dissolved, then cool completely

Boil the stock with salt and sugar until dissolved, then cool completely.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Mix the Shaoxing wine into the cold brine

Step 8

Mix the Shaoxing wine into the cold brine

Mix the Shaoxing wine into the cold brine.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Drain the chicken, submerge it in the wine brine and chill for at least six hours

Step 9

Drain the chicken, submerge it in the wine brine and chill for at least six hours

Drain the chicken, submerge it in the wine brine and chill for at least six hours.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Remove the chicken and confirm it is fully cooked yet tender

Step 10

Remove the chicken and confirm it is fully cooked yet tender

Remove the chicken and confirm it is fully cooked yet tender.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Chop neatly with the skin intact and spoon over a little brine

Step 11

Chop neatly with the skin intact and spoon over a little brine

Chop neatly with the skin intact and spoon over a little brine.

Shanghainese Drunken Chicken — Arrange as a cold dish and serve immediately; keep leftovers chilled

Step 12

Arrange as a cold dish and serve immediately; keep leftovers chilled

Arrange as a cold dish and serve immediately; keep leftovers chilled.

Common mistakes

Do not rush with excessive heat or ignore doneness, as both texture and safety will suffer.

Tips

Measure everything first and check doneness at each stage; remove bones and cut smaller for children or older adults.