Our family lunch in January 2023 coincided with Chinese Lunar New Year - the year of the Rabbit. So we themed the food and decorations to match. The menu included this very easy but extremely delicious Soy Chicken, thanks to Red House Spice. It is traditional to do a whole chicken as a symbol but much easier to use skin on, bone in Chicken thighs.
Ingredients
6 chicken thighs (best with skin on and bone in)
1/2 Tablespoon cooking oil
3 spring onions, cut in half
1 thumb size of ginger, sliced
3 star anise
2 bay leaves
1 cup light soy sauce
2 Tablespoons of dark soy sauce
2 Tablespoons of Shaoxing rice wine
2 Tablespoons of dark brown sugar
2 cups water
1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch, mix with 1 Tablespoon water
Method
Prepare the braising liquid.
Place oil, spring onions, ginger, star anise and bay leaves in a frypan.
Fry over low heat until the spring onion and ginger are fragrant and browned.
Pour in both soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and water.
Turn the heat to high and bring to the boil.
Slide the chicken thighs in, skin side down. (Should be in a single layer).
When the cooking liquid comes back to the boil, lower the temperature until it's a gentle simmer.
Cover and cook for 35 minutes.
Flip and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Take the chicken out and keep about 1/2 cup of liquid. The remaining liquid can be kept in the fridge as a master stock, good for 4 days in the fridge or frozen for 3 months.
Take the 1/2 cup liquid and heat, just before it starts to boil, add cornstarch slurry.
Remove from the heat once the sauce reaches the desired thickness.
Slice the chicken and pour the sauce over the top.
Enjoy with rice or as one dish of a banquet.
Mamma Marmalade