{"id":28365,"date":"2021-03-16T13:19:16","date_gmt":"2021-03-16T17:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/?p=28365"},"modified":"2024-07-12T09:25:58","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T13:25:58","slug":"braised-chestnut-chicken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/braised-chestnut-chicken\/","title":{"rendered":"Braised Chestnut Chicken (\u677f\u6817\u7096\u9e21)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A classic Shanghai dish, braised chestnut chicken is a super comforting dish that is very easy to prepare and extremely satisfying to eat. It\u2019s a great centerpiece for your Sunday dinner, or you can make a huge batch for meal-prep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Braised<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Braised chestnut chicken is a comforting dish that I enjoyed eating growing up in China. When chestnuts are hard to find or not in season, we usually make the braised chicken with shiitake mushrooms<\/a>. But when I saw the recipe in Belly Liu\u2019s newly released cookbook My Shanghai: Recipes and Stories from a City on the Water<\/a>, I immediately bought the ingredients and made the dish in my kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compared to the braising method<\/a> my mom uses, Betty\u2019s version requires a bit of extra love, which makes the dish even more flavorful. Once the dish is done, my kitchen smells so good and the dish makes me feel like I\u2019m back in my mom\u2019s kitchen again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Braised<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My Shanghai Cookbook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d been following Betty\u2019s work for a few years before she released her book this March. When I received the book, it was just as beautiful as I imagined it would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Betty\u2019s book takes you to Shanghai through her stunning photography, anecdotes of her stories living in the US while deeply rooted with the city, and family recipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recipes stay authentic while sharing many tips for audiences overseas, who might not have access to seasonal produce. Beyond well-known dishes and restaurant style food, the book shares many homestyle recipes too, and I enjoy those the most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I highly recommend adding her cookbook to your collection, since it serves both as a beautiful coffee table book and as a book you’d enjoy cooking from, a rather rare combination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ingredients for braised chestnut chicken<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most of the ingredients for braised chestnut chicken are easy to acquire and you probably already have them in your Chinese pantry<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ingredients<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chestnut<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The single item in this recipe that\u2019s quite rare is the chestnut. It\u2019s a seasonal product you will see in Chinatown or Asian markets during fall. If you don\u2019t have access to the fresh ones, you will need to use the frozen, vacuum packed, or canned type. When the fresh ones are not available, my favorite version is the frozen type. They are quite close to the fresh ones if prepared properly. You can use the vacuum packed or canned chestnuts as well. But they might come pre-seasoned and might fall apart more easily during braising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Frozen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chicken<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To make the best braised chestnut chicken, you will have to use bone-in skin-on chicken chopped into bite-sized pieces. When you use bite-sized bone-in pieces, the meat will cook faster while staying juicy, the bones will release flavor into the broth, and the fat from the skin will be emulsified in the broth to make it sticky and extra rich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In China, a whole chicken is usually used for this dish. But in the US, it\u2019s easier to use chicken leg quarters, each chopped into four pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s very easy to chop bone-in chicken with a cleaver if you have one. But if you only have a chef\u2019s knife, it\u2019s totally fine as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n