Clem's Drunken Chicken
 

No, this is not a dish prepared using sloshed chicken. Rather, it is a cold dish of gently cooked chicken marinated in rice wine. The version which uses Shaoxing rice wine originated from the Zhejiang province in eastern China. It is often served as an entrée or appetizer at a Chinese dinner.

I have waited until the weather is a bit warmer to try out this cold dish. The bigger step is the preparation of the chicken which has to be cooked such that it comes out tender and juicy. This can only mean one thing: poaching the chicken. The easier step is to marinate the cooked chicken over night in a wine sauce.

Here is how I prepared my Drunken Chicken:

 

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken Maryland pieces (Drum stick and thigh) (your choice as to how many pieces).
  You may also choose to use a whole chicken if you are preparing a large dinner.
   

• A few slices of ginger, a couple of sprigs of spring onions and coriander, a few cloves of crushed garlic, ground white pepper, salt (or fish sauce) to taste.
   

• A cup of Shaoxing rice wine (exact quantity is that which is sufficient to make a marinate which covers all the chicken).
   

• Condiments.
   

METHOD

• Add ginger, garlic, spring onions, coriander, pepper and a salt to a pan large enough to immerse your chicken in the poaching broth.
  You may also choose to add chicken stock powder to the pan.
   

• To make the poaching broth, add water sufficient to later immerse all the chicken pieces. 
   

• Bring the broth to a rolling boil.
   

• Add the chicken to the boiling broth.
   

• Allow the broth to gently boil for a minute.
   

• Turn off the heat to the broth, cover the pan and set aside for the chicken to poach for 1.5 to 2 hours.
   

• Remove the chicken and allow it to come down to room temperature.
  Reserve the poaching broth for later use.
   

• Place the chicken in the refrigerator to set the meat tissue (including the gelatine).
   

• After the chicken has cooled down sufficiently to be firm, chop it into bite-sized pieces with a meat cleaver.
   

• The chicken is now ready to be marinated.
   

• To make the marinade, make a 1:1 mixture of the poaching broth and Shaoxing rice wine.
  Make sufficient to be able to cover all the cut chicken pieces.
  Add a teaspoon or so of sugar (to taste).
  You may elect to add some Goji berries as well.
  Adjust the taste of the marinade to your liking with condiments.
   

• Immerse the chicken in the marinade and leave overnight in the refrigerator.
   

• After marination, assemble the chicken pieces with some marinade on a plate.
  Garnish with coriander or spring onion leaves and you are done.
   

Clem's Drunken Chicken
 

09 August 2024

www.clemkuek.com
 

Created by Clem Kuek