Braised Chicken Wings with Shiitake Mushrooms
Tender chicken wings slowly braised with aromatic shiitake mushrooms in a rich, savory sauce. The chicken is first seared for depth of flavor, then simmered with ginger, scallions and warm spices until perfectly tender.
Story
This classic Chinese home-style dish combines the earthy richness of shiitake mushrooms with succulent chicken wings. The secret lies in properly searing the chicken first to create a golden crust, then letting everything simmer together until the flavors meld beautifully.
Ingredients
chicken wings (drumettes)
500g
shiitake mushrooms
200g
vegetable oil
3 tablespoons
scallions
3 stalks
ginger
3 slices
garlic
3 cloves
star anise
2 pieces
bay leaves
2 leaves
Chinese cooking wine
2 tablespoons
light soy sauce
2 tablespoons
dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon
sugar
1 teaspoon
salt
to taste
water
500ml
Instructions
1
Prepare the ingredients
Rinse the chicken wings under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels. Clean the shiitake mushrooms and slice them into quarters. Cut the scallions into sections, keeping the white and green parts separate.
2
Blanch the chicken
Place chicken wings in a pot with cold water and 1 tablespoon of cooking wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then drain and rinse to remove any impurities. Pat dry again.
3
Sear the chicken
Heat oil in a wok or deep pan over medium-high heat. Carefully add the chicken wings and fry until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4
Build the aromatics
In the same pan, add the white parts of scallions, ginger, garlic, star anise and bay leaves. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes.
5
Braise until tender
Return the chicken to the pan. Add remaining cooking wine, both soy sauces, sugar and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and tender.
6
Finish and serve
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Sprinkle with green onion tops. Serve hot over steamed rice.
Main Dish
Air-Dried Sichuan Peppercorn Duck
Duck legs cured with crushed green Sichuan peppercorns, salt, and baijiu, then hung to air-dry and later steamed. The green peppercorns matter more than regular red ones—their numbing aroma sinks deeper into the meat. A high-proof Chinese liquor works best for the cure.
