Shaoxing Drunken Chicken

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Life can be a little chaotic at times. Everyone experiences it, and when it does, simple, ready-made meals are helpful. Having some pre-made meals is a lifesaver.

Shaoxing Drunken Chicken is a chilly dish that I used to make for the Chinese New Year and would want to share it with you today. With this cold meal, your schedule won't be too hectic. Of course, eating this dish is not limited to festivals. It might be prepared in advance, making your nights easier.

The traditional method calls for using a whole chicken, cooking it until the meat is separated from the bone, chopping it up into bite-sized pieces, and then marinating it in Shaoxing wine for two days so that the wine is fragrant and the chicken tastes fresh and energizing.

The current method is slightly different from the original. Instead of using a full chicken, I'm using boneless chicken thighs. The drunken chicken would taste spicy and choking if it is marinated in rice wine or sorghum wine, making it unsuitable for children. Online recipe searches will reveal that some of the recipes call for chicken wings. Nonetheless, avoid chicken breast.

Chicken that has been served after being soaked and chilled is known as drunken chicken. However, those who are used to eating chicken as a hot dish might not like such "cold chicken." The chicken's meat becomes firm and revived to eat after soaking and cooling.

Some methods like using bone-in chicken thighs. Personally, I prefer boneless thighs, which are juicy, tender, and delicious.

 

INGREDIENTS

3 chicken thighs, deboned.

¼ salt and 1 tsp Shaoxing wine for each thigh, to remove the fishy smell

 

SAUCE

2 cups chicken stock,

½ cup or 1 cup of Shaoxing wine, depending on personal preference

2 tbsp of goji berries

1 tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

 

 


METHODS

1. Slightly scored the chicken thigh and sprinkle with a little salt and laying it on a sheet of aluminum foil. Add 1 teaspoon of wine and wrap the chicken into foil packets so that the juice from the chicken will remain inside after cooking.


2. Heat just enough water in a pot to cover the chicken rolls. Make certain there is sufficient to cover the chicken rolls. Do not allow the water to boil rapidly. Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the meat sit in the chicken soup stock for about 5 minutes. Remove them and submerge them in freezing water.

NOTE: This allows the chicken rolls to cool down so that the water will not evaporate with steam which will keep the meat tender and fresh.


3. To make the sauce, combine the wine with up to 2 cups of chicken stock from step 2. Even though the ratio is 1:1, I am using 1 cup of Shaoxing wine (or more, depending on your taste). Let it cook at low heat for 20 minutes and let it cool

4. Soak the goji berries in water for 5 minutes.

5. Get an airtight container ready, put the cooled chicken inside, add the cool sauce and sprinkle some goji berries on top. Refrigerate overnight for better flavor or you may freeze them for one to two days.

5. Remove the chicken from the container, slice it and place it on a plate, and top with the sauce. ENJOY!!

 


















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