Soy Sauce Braised Chicken Wings
I saw this recipe (https://www.smellylunchbox.com/home/soy-sauce-braised-chicken-wings) for soy sauce braised chicken wings and it looked delightful, so I decided to give it a try. Mine doesn't look nearly as aesthetic, but it still tastes delightful! What really stands out is the remarkably bouncy texture on the chicken wings. Super simple and delicious and parallelizes almost perfectly with your rice cooker.
Active Time: 20 min
Total Time: 45 min
Ingredients
> chicken wings (1.5 lb)
> ginger (3 slices)
> garlic (4 cloves, lightly crushed)
> scallions (3 stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces)
> star anise (1)
> bay leaves (2)
> brown sugar (1/4 cup)
> soy sauce (1/2 cup)
> dark soy sauce (1 tsp)
> Shaoxing wine (2 tbsp)
> MSG / chicken bouillon powder (1/2 tsp)
> water (1 cup)
Instructions
1. Blanch chicken wings with boiling water for ~30s. This can be done by heating up water in an electric kettle, and pouring it over the wings in a bowl. Dump the hot water, then run cool water over the chicken for a bit.
2. In a pot over medium heat, cook ginger, garlic, scallions (white parts), star anise, and bay leaves for ~1 minute.
3. Add brown sugar + a tiny splash of water, and cook until slightly caramelized (~3-4 minutes)
4. Add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, water, Shaoxing wine, chicken bouillon powder, chicken wings, and scallions (green parts). Add more water if needed, until chicken wings are fully covered.
5. Turn the heat to high, and bring up to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Then cover with a tight-fitting lid and cover, removing it entirely from the heat. Let sit for ~30 minutes.
6. Remove from the braising liquid, optionally top with some thinly sliced green onion. Enjoy with a bowl of rice!
Notes/Tips:
> Apparently, blanching the skin in boiling water is critical to give it a lovely bouncy texture.
> This can be made with whatever cut of chicken you prefer, but I like wings the best because of their skin (which turns into a lovely texture). You'll need to adjust cooking times accordingly.
> This is traditionally made with Chinese yellow rock sugar, but I don't have that and substituted brown sugar instead. Granulated sugar would work too.
> Apparently, this residual heat cooking technique leads to a more uniform, tender result. Chicken wings are pretty small and can easily become dry and stringy. Make sure to uncover and/or remove the wings from the braising liquid after done cooking, to prevent overcooking.
> Typically, most recipes might call for more star anise, but I prefer a slightly less spice-forward braising liquid, as with most Chinese braised dishes.
> Save the braising liquid! A lot of the collagen + flavor from the wings ends up in the braise. Delicious as a marinade for soft-boiled eggs, as a base for a ramen broth, or used in stir-fries.