Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included

This delightful braised dish features tender chicken pieces slowly cooked in a rich brown sauce that blends sweet savory depth with subtle umami notes from the shiitake mushrooms and aromatic garlic ginger. The inclusion of green bell peppers adds a gentle sweetness while the potato provides comforting soft texture throughout the meal. It is a […]

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Prep
24m
Cook
40m
Total
1h 4m
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
1/5
Cuisine
Chinese

IngredientsWhat you'll need for Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included

Ingredient Amount
Chicken (drumsticks, wings, and thighs) 1 as needed
Dried shiitake mushrooms 10 as needed
Scallion segments 3 as needed
Garlic cloves 4 as needed
Ginger slices 5 as needed
Green bell peppers 2 as needed
Potato 1 as needed
Dried chili peppers 3 as needed
Bay leaves 2 as needed
Star anise 1 as needed
Cassia cinnamon stick (small piece) 1 as needed
Salt to taste
Cooking oil as needed
  • Chicken (drumsticks, wings, and thighs)1 as needed
  • Dried shiitake mushrooms10 as needed
  • Scallion segments3 as needed
  • Garlic cloves4 as needed
  • Ginger slices5 as needed
  • Green bell peppers2 as needed
  • Potato1 as needed
  • Dried chili peppers3 as needed
  • Bay leaves2 as needed
  • Star anise1 as needed
  • Cassia cinnamon stick (small piece)1 as needed
  • Saltto taste
  • Cooking oilas needed

Cooking StepsHow to cook Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included step by step

  1. Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included
    Step 1

    Prepare ingredients: 1 kg chicken (I used whole chicken legs + wing roots + wings totaling 1 kg), 10-12 dried shiitake mushrooms (small ones can be left whole, large ones should be sliced), 3 scallion segments, 4 garlic cloves, 5 ginger slices. Also prepare: some fresh chili peppers (optional), 2 green bell peppers, 1 potato, (optional: some dried tofu skin, 1 leafy green vegetable), 3 dried chili peppers, 2 bay leaves, 1 star anise, 1 small piece of cassia cinnamon.

  2. Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included
    Step 2

    Make the brown sauce: Mix together 45g yellow bean paste (huangdoujiang) + 30g oyster sauce + 15g hoisin sauce + 30g light soy sauce + 15g dark soy sauce + 15g cooking wine + 10g sugar + 1g Chinese five-spice powder. Stir until well combined. Add salt only after cooking is complete.

  3. Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included
    Step 3

    Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water until soft. Cut the chicken into 3-5 cm pieces. Place chicken in a pot with cold water, add scallion, ginger, and cooking wine. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove chicken pieces, rinse, and drain well.

  4. Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included
    Step 4

    Heat oil in a pot and stir-fry the chicken pieces until they release their moisture. Add scallion, ginger, garlic, dried chili peppers, star anise, cassia cinnamon, and bay leaves. Stir-fry until fragrant. Pour in the prepared brown sauce. Add the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms along with the soaking water (total liquid about 1000 ml).

  5. Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included
    Step 5

    Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off any foam. Cover with a lid, reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add potato chunks and dried tofu skin (if using), then simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Add green bell peppers and leafy greens. Add fresh chili peppers if you like it spicy.

  6. Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included
    Step 6

    Serve the dish directly from the pot to the table.

  7. Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included
    Step 7

    Time to eat! Enjoy with steamed rice.

Foolproof Braised Chicken with Brown Sauce – Detailed Sauce Ratios Included

This delightful braised dish features tender chicken pieces slowly cooked in a rich brown sauce that blends sweet savory depth with subtle umami notes from the shiitake mushrooms and aromatic garlic ginger. The inclusion of green bell peppers adds a gentle sweetness while the potato provides comforting soft texture throughout the meal. It is a […]

Ingredients

  • 1 as needed Chicken (drumsticks, wings, and thighs)
  • 10 as needed Dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 3 as needed Scallion segments
  • 4 as needed Garlic cloves
  • 5 as needed Ginger slices
  • 2 as needed Green bell peppers
  • 1 as needed Potato
  • 3 as needed Dried chili peppers
  • 2 as needed Bay leaves
  • 1 as needed Star anise
  • 1 as needed Cassia cinnamon stick (small piece)
  • to taste Salt
  • as needed Cooking oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare ingredients: 1 kg chicken (I used whole chicken legs + wing roots + wings totaling 1 kg), 10-12 dried shiitake mushrooms (small ones can be left whole, large ones should be sliced), 3 scallion segments, 4 garlic cloves, 5 ginger slices. Also prepare: some fresh chili peppers (optional), 2 green bell peppers, 1 potato, (optional: some dried tofu skin, 1 leafy green vegetable), 3 dried chili peppers, 2 bay leaves, 1 star anise, 1 small piece of cassia cinnamon.

  2. Make the brown sauce: Mix together 45g yellow bean paste (huangdoujiang) + 30g oyster sauce + 15g hoisin sauce + 30g light soy sauce + 15g dark soy sauce + 15g cooking wine + 10g sugar + 1g Chinese five-spice powder. Stir until well combined. Add salt only after cooking is complete.

  3. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water until soft. Cut the chicken into 3-5 cm pieces. Place chicken in a pot with cold water, add scallion, ginger, and cooking wine. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove chicken pieces, rinse, and drain well.

  4. Heat oil in a pot and stir-fry the chicken pieces until they release their moisture. Add scallion, ginger, garlic, dried chili peppers, star anise, cassia cinnamon, and bay leaves. Stir-fry until fragrant. Pour in the prepared brown sauce. Add the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms along with the soaking water (total liquid about 1000 ml).

  5. Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off any foam. Cover with a lid, reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add potato chunks and dried tofu skin (if using), then simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Add green bell peppers and leafy greens. Add fresh chili peppers if you like it spicy.

  6. Serve the dish directly from the pot to the table.

  7. Time to eat! Enjoy with steamed rice.

Recipe Details