Braised Chicken
A traditional Filipino braised chicken dish, marinated and stewed in a mix of vinegar, water, garlic, and soy sauce, then fried until crispy.
Ingredients
cane vinegar or distilled white vinegar
1½ cups
water
1 cup
garlic (smashed with the flat part of a cleaver or large knife)
6 cloves
bay leaves
2
black peppercorns (crushed)
1½ teaspoons
whole chicken leg quarters (cut into drumstick and thigh sections)
8 (4 to 5 pounds)
soy sauce
¾ cup
vegetable oil
3 tablespoons
green onions (chopped for garnish)
Instructions
1
Step 1
In a large non-reactive pot or Dutch oven, combine the vinegar, water, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Add the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
2
Step 2
Add the soy sauce and stir well to coat the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate, shaking off as much liquid as possible. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Discard the bay leaves. Skim off the fat from the sauce and reserve.
3
Step 3
In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Working in batches, add the chicken and sear until evenly crisp and golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add the reserved sauce and stir for a few minutes, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
4
Step 4
Transfer the chicken to a rimmed platter, pour the sauce over, and sprinkle with the green onions.
