Braised Chicken Thighs with Chestnuts

Name: Braised Chicken Thighs with Chestnuts
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 large, bone-in, cut into 2-inch pieces chicken thighs; 200g, peeled and halved chestnuts; 1 small, diced into rings green bell pepper; 1 small, diced into rings red bell pepper; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon rock sugar or brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder; 4 slices ginger; 3 stalks, cut into 2-inch segments green onions; 2 tablespoons cooking wine; 2 tablespoons light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce; to taste salt

Tender chicken thighs braised with sweet chestnuts in a savory, slightly caramelized sauce. This homestyle dish brings together the earthy sweetness of chestnuts with the rich flavor of chicken, finished with colorful peppers for brightness.

40 min

Medium

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Story

A comforting one-pan dish that fills your kitchen with an irresistible aroma. The key is to properly brown the chicken and caramelize the sugar for depth of flavor.

Ingredients

chicken thighs 2 large, bone-in, cut into 2-inch pieces

chestnuts 200g, peeled and halved

green bell pepper 1 small, diced into rings

red bell pepper 1 small, diced into rings

vegetable oil 3 tablespoons

rock sugar or brown sugar 1 tablespoon

five spice powder 1/2 teaspoon

ginger 4 slices

green onions 3 stalks, cut into 2-inch segments

cooking wine 2 tablespoons

light soy sauce 2 tablespoons

dark soy sauce 1 tablespoon

salt to taste

Instructions

Parboil the chicken

Cut the chicken thighs into generous pieces. Bring a pot of water to a lively boil, add the cooking wine, then drop in the chicken pieces. Let them cook for about 2 minutes without covering the pot—you'll see the proteins float up as foam. Drain and rinse under warm water to clean the pieces.

Toast the chestnuts

Heat a wok or deep pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat. Add the chestnuts and stir-fry until they turn golden and develop a nutty aroma, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Build the base

In the same wok with the remaining oil, add the sugar. Let it melt and turn amber-colored—this happens quickly, so keep stirring. Once it starts to bubble and darken, quickly add the five spice powder (it will sizzle and release its fragrance). Immediately add the chicken, ginger, and green onions. Toss everything together until the chicken is nicely coated and slightly caramelized.

Braise everything together

Pour in both soy sauces and about 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Add the chestnuts back to the pan and cook another 5 minutes to let them absorb the flavors.

Finish with peppers

Add the green and red bell peppers to the wok. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until they're just tender-crisp but still vibrant. Season with salt to taste. The sauce should be thick and glossy, coating every piece. Serve hot over steamed rice.