This recipe for braised Chinese chicken is all about cozy, rich, hearty, and savory flavors. The chicken and shiitake mushrooms are cooked in a flavorful sauce, resulting in tender and juicy meat, making this dish a truly satisfying meal when served with rice or noodles.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chinese Braised Chicken Ingredients
- How to Make Chinese Braised Chicken
- Joyce’s Tips For Making the Best Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Variation Ideas
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing and Reheating
- More Traditional Chinese Recipes You May Like
- More Asian Recipes You May Like
- Recipe Card
If you're looking for a delicious, easy-to-make chicken recipe with a sauce that's out of this world, then this Chinese braised chicken is your answer. The secret to its delicious flavors lies in the braising liquid, which infuses the chicken with complex, irresistible flavors.
Similar to my Braised Pork Belly recipe, which is braised in beer, this one is made with chicken thighs instead, and takes about half the time, so an amazing alternative for a weeknight dinner.
If you're looking for a similar Chinese chicken recipe with Asian mushrooms, then you definitely should also check out my Cantonese Steamed Chicken recipe which is made with shiitake mushrooms and Chinese sausage!
If you're a fan of Chinese chicken dishes, you'll love this recipe. It's a unique combination of sweet and savory flavors that sets it apart from other dishes like chicken Manchurian, sweet and sour chicken, and Chinese lemon chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare. Once you have all the ingredients ready, it's just a matter of combining them in the right order.
- Intense Flavors: The combination of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, star anise and other classic Chinese ingredients gives this dish a timeless, irresistible flavor.
- Cozy One-Pot Meal: Everything cooks together in one pot, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully and making cleanup a cinch.
- Uses White Wine (or Beer) For More Flavor: Instead of the standard water, broth/stock liquids, I also like to add a bit of wine or beer to my braises for extra flavor.
Chinese Braised Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken: The star of this dish, it can be bone-in or boneless, but dark meat (drums, wings, and thighs) works best for braising, as it becomes incredibly tender and flavorful.
- Shiitake Mushrooms: These add a deep, earthy flavor and a meaty texture to the dish. Alternatively, you can also use other Asian mushrooms like straw mushrooms (from a can) or white and brown button mushrooms as well.
- Wine or Beer: I like to use white wine to give this chicken braise extra flavor. Any kind will work well. Alternatively you can also use a light beers like lagers as well, or if you don't want to use any alcohol, you can use broth instead.
- Oyster Sauce: This sauce gives the braising liquid it's sweet umami flavor.
- Soy Sauce: A staple in Chinese cooking, it adds a deep, rich, umami flavor to the dish.
- Star Anise and Bay Leaves: These spices, infuse the dish with a warm, aromatic flavor, especially the star anise, which you should not omit.
How to Make Chinese Braised Chicken
Making this incredible Chinese braised chicken recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:
Preparation of Ingredients
Soak the Shiitake Mushrooms : Begin by soaking the shiitake mushrooms in hot water in a small bowl until they're soft. I like to put a small plate or bowl on top to keep them submerged. Prepare the rest of the ingredients while you are soaking them.
Prepare the Aromatics: Next, prepare your aromatics. Slice the ginger, and onions into thin slices. These will add layers of flavor to your dish. Peel and smash the garlic with the side of your knife and set it aside for later.
Cut the Green Onions: Cut the green onions into 2-inch lengths. These will be added later in the cooking process to provide a fresh onion flavor and a pop of color.
Mix Braising Sauce: In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the braising sauce and set aside.
Slice the Shiitake Mushrooms: Once they're soft, cut off the stems and discard it. Slice the mushrooms in half, and set it aside for later. Reserve the mushroom liquid for the braise as well.
Brown the Chicken
Dry Chicken: Pat the chicken dry, and sprinkle a bit of salt on it and set it aside.
Brown the Chicken: In a large pan or pot, brown the chicken on all sides on medium heat, starting by doing it skin side down. This helps to seal in the juices and gives the chicken a nice, golden color. Once it has browned, plate chicken and set aside for later.
Braise the Chicken
Brown Aromatics: Add the onions, ginger, star anise and bay leaves into the pan with the chicken drippings, and toast it for 1-2 minutes. Do not add the garlic yet.
Add the Wine and Scrape the Fond: Add the wine into the pot, and use a wooden spoon to scrape out the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. There's a lot of flavor in it, and it's called the fond. Do this for about 1-2 minutes, to cook out the alcohol as well.
Add The Rest of the Ingredients In: Add the browned chicken, smashed garlic, shiitake mushrooms, reserved mushroom water, and braising sauce, and mix everything together. Make sure everything is submerged into the liquid, especially the chicken. (If you're using reserved mushroom water, make sure not to add the water on the bottom of the bowl, it may have grit in it, if you don't have enough water, you can fill the remainder with regular water or low sodium chicken broth.)
Braise the Chicken for 20 Minutes: Let everything simmer together for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat with the lid on. This will allow the flavors to meld and the chicken to become incredibly tender.
Simmer for 12-15 minutes: After 20 minutes, remove the lid, and simmer for another 12-15 minute to reduce the sauce to a syrup consistency. Flip the chicken to get flavor on the other side if it's not fully submerged in liquid.
Add the Green Onions: After the sauce has thickened, add the green onions and stir everything for 1 minute until the green onions wilt. These will add a fresh, crisp flavor and a pop of color to your dish.
Serve
Serve the Braised Chicken with Rice or Noodles: Your Chinese braised chicken is now ready to be served. Enjoy it with steamed rice or your favorite noodles.
Joyce’s Tips For Making the Best Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
- Dark Meat vs White Meat: For this Chinese braised chicken recipe, it's best to use bone-in, dark-meat chicken like drums, wings, and thighs. Dark meat stays tender and juicy during the braising process whereas white meat, such as breast will almost always create a dry dish.
- Bone-In vs Boneless: The bone-in chicken adds extra flavor to the dish, but the bone also adds a natural gelatin to the sauce as well, which creates a syrupy, silkier sauce. An extra bonus is, bone-in chicken is also usually more inexpensive as well!
- White Wine and Beer Suggestions: Since chicken is a delicate meat, and we won't be braising it a long period of time. If you're using wine, any type will work but I like to use Sauvignon Blanc because of it's dryness, which makes it slightly tart and helps cut the heaviness of this dish. If you're using beer, I highly suggest using a light beer. Darker and more flavorful beers will overpower the dish, and the bitterness will also come through in the sauce. Although IPAs (Indian Pale Ales) are not dark beers, please avoid using this beer because it's incredibly bitter. I like to use American light beers, blonde lagers and ales, pilsners and wheat beers.
- Clean Mushrooms After It's Soak: I find it easiest to clean shiitake mushrooms after they have been soaked and is soft. Run the mushroom gills under running water and rub it gently to remove any grit.
- Reserve Mushroom Water From Soak: For more extra flavor, you can use the water you used to soak the mushroom in place of the water/stock. Just make sure not to use the water at the bottom of the bowl, because grit and sand may be on the bottom.
- Dry Chicken For Best Browning: Use paper towel to dry your chicken before you brown it. This creates a nicer crust.
- Pot Size Is Important: I like to use a pot big enough to allow me to lay down all the chicken in a single layer. It's important that the pot isn't overly large because you need to submerge the chicken in liquid to braise, and if there is excess space, the braising liquid will not reduce because there is too much of it to evaporate within 20 minutes. (The image shown is a 9-inch pot with 4 chicken thighs.)
- Reduce Cooking Time For Boneless Chicken, Drumsticks and Wings: If you use boneless chicken, drumsticks or wings, you will need to reduce the cooking time slightly since they will cook more quickly. I would reduce about 5 minutes from the initial braising time of 20 minutes.
- Don't Over Braise: If you braise the chicken for more than the suggested time, the sauce will reduce and get thicker, but it also means it may also become incredibly salty. You'll know it's done, when after you reduce the sauce by simmering without the lid, the sauce becomes a thin syrupy consistency. Always do a taste test to make sure, if it tastes good, you're good to go!
Serving Suggestions
- This Chinese braised chicken recipe is a perfect main dish for a family dinner. Serve the tender, flavorful chicken pieces over a bed of steamed jasmine rice, a simple egg fried rice or sinangag (garlic fried rice). The chicken's rich, aromatic flavors will seep into the rice, making it a delicious accompaniment.
- For a traditional Chinese meal, pair this braised chicken with a side of stir-fried vegetables. I like to make it with stir-fried cabbage or honey soy brussels sprouts. The crisp, fresh flavors of the vegetables provide a nice contrast to the tender, savory chicken.
- If you're in the mood for a comforting, noodle-based meal, serve this braised chicken with a bowl of chewy udon noodles, or hakka noodles . The noodles will soak up the rich, flavorful broth, making every bite a treat.
Recipe Variation Ideas
- Spicy: If you're a fan of spicy flavors, this variation is for you. Simply add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the braise liquid for an extra twist. The heat from the pepper flakes will complement the rich, savory flavors of the braised chicken, giving the dish a new and exciting twist.
- Sweet and Sour: For those who love a sweet and tangy flavor, this variation is a must-try. Add a tablespoon of rice vinegar or a teaspoon of black Chinese vinegar (Chinkiang vinegar) and a drizzle of honey to the braise liquid. The vinegar will cut through the richness of the chicken, while the honey adds a subtle sweetness that balances the dish perfectly.
- Switch up the Mushrooms: You can also use other Asian mushrooms like straw mushrooms (which come in a can), or white and brown button mushrooms. If you can find fresh shiitake mushrooms, they work even better because there's no soak time and the flavor is more intense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bone-in, dark meat chicken works best for this recipe. Drumsticks, wings, and thighs are all great options.
Yes, you can substitute with other mushrooms, but shiitake is preferred for its unique flavor.
Dark soy sauce adds color to the dish, but if you don't have it, you can just use regular soy sauce.
This braised chicken dish goes well with steamed white rice (any kind), or noodles like egg noodles, udon noodles or rice noodles.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerating: After enjoying the delicious Chinese braised chicken, any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator. Simply place the cooled dish in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat, gently simmer the chicken in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Be careful not to overheat as this can make the chicken tough. Alternatively, you can also microwave it for 2 minutes.
- Freezing: Unfortunately, this dish does not freeze well. The texture of the chicken can become tough and lose its flavor when frozen and thawed.
More Traditional Chinese Recipes You May Like
More Asian Recipes You May Like
If you made this Chinese braised chicken recipe, I want to see! Follow Pups with Chopsticks on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @pupswithchopsticks and #pupswithchopsticks. I love to know what you are making!
Please also consider leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and a comment to tell me how it went! I'd love to hear from you if you made this!
If you like my recipes and want to be updated on when new ones come out, please consider subscribing to my newsletter (we don't spam) and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for all of my latest recipes!
Recipe Card
Chinese Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
Joyce's Recipe Notes
- Dark Meat vs White Meat: For this Chinese braised chicken recipe, it's best to use bone-in, dark-meat chicken like drums, wings, and thighs. Dark meat stays tender and juicy during the braising process whereas white meat, such as breast will almost always create a dry dish.
- Bone-In vs Boneless: The bone-in chicken adds extra flavor to the dish, but the bone also adds a natural gelatin to the sauce as well, which creates a syrupy, silkier sauce. An extra bonus is, bone-in chicken is also usually more inexpensive as well!
- White Wine and Beer Suggestions: Since chicken is a delicate meat, and we won't be braising it a long period of time. If you're using wine, any type will work but I like to use Sauvignon Blanc because of it's dryness, which makes it slightly tart and helps cut the heaviness of this dish. If you're using beer, I highly suggest using a light beer. Darker and more flavorful beers will overpower the dish, and the bitterness will also come through in the sauce. Although IPAs (Indian Pale Ales) are not dark beers, please avoid using this beer because it's incredibly bitter. I like to use American light beers, blonde lagers and ales, pilsners, and wheat beers. If you don't want any alcohol in this, you can also sub low sodium broth for it as well.
- Clean Mushrooms After It's Soak: I find it easiest to clean shiitake mushrooms after they have been soaked and is soft. Run the mushroom gills under running water and rub it gently to remove any grit.
- Reserve Mushroom Water From Soak: For more extra flavor, you can use the water you used to soak the mushroom in place of the water/stock. Just make sure not to use the water at the bottom of the bowl, because grit and sand may be on the bottom.
- Dry Chicken For Best Browning: Use paper towel to dry your chicken before you brown it. This creates a nicer crust.
- Pot Size Is Important: I like to use a pot big enough to allow me to lay down all the chicken in a single layer. It's important that the pot isn't overly large because you need to submerge the chicken in liquid to braise, and if there is excess space, the braising liquid will not reduce because there is too much of it to evaporate within 20 minutes. (The image shown is a 9-inch pot with 4 chicken thighs.)
- Reduce Cooking Time For Boneless Chicken, Drumsticks and Wings: If you use boneless chicken, drumsticks or wings, you will need to reduce the cooking time slightly since they will cook more quickly. I would reduce about 5 minutes from the initial braising time of 20 minutes.
- Don't Over Braise: If you braise the chicken for more than the suggested time, the sauce will reduce and get thicker, but it also means it may also become incredibly salty. You'll know it's done, when after you reduce the sauce by simmering without the lid, the sauce becomes a thin syrupy consistency. Always do a taste test to make sure, if it tastes good, you're good to go!
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs (bone-in) (approx. 4 chicken thighs, or 6 drums)
- 5-6 dried shiitake mushrooms (dried or fresh, can sub with straw or button mushrooms)
- 1 small onion
- 2 slices ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 stalks green onions
Braising Sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy (can sub with regular soy sauce)
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1½ tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine
- 1¼ cups water reserved from mushroom soak (or water, or no sodium broth)
- ¾ cup white wine (or light beers like lagers. Can sub with low sodium broth.)
Instructions
Preparation
- If you're using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak 5-6 dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water for about 30 minutes or until they are soft. I like to use a small bowl or plate to keep the mushrooms submerged in the water so they rehydrate more quickly. Prepare the rest of the ingredients while you wait.
- Slice 2 slices ginger and set it aside. Then peel and thinly slice 1 small onion and set it aside.
- Peel 2 cloves garlic and smash it with the side of your knife. Keep them whole (don't worry they will melt into the braising liquid during braising.)
- Cut 2 stalks green onions into 2-inch lengths. Cut the thick white parts again in half, lengthwise.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy, 1½ tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1½ tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine. Set this braising sauce aside for later.
- Once the mushrooms are soft and hydrated, rub the gills under running water to remove any grit, then cut off the stems and discard them. Slice the mushrooms in half, set them aside for later, and don't forget to save the mushroom soaking water for the braise.
Brown the Chicken
- Pat 1 lb chicken thighs (bone-in) dry, sprinkle a bit of salt on it, and set it aside.
- Set a pot over the stove and set it to medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add oil.
- Add the chicken thighs in skin side down and brown it for 30 seconds to a minute. Give it time to form a crust before you flip it.
- Plate chicken and set aside.
Braise the Chicken
- Add the sliced onions, sliced ginger, 2 star anise, and 2 bay leaves to the pot with the chicken drippings, and toast for 1-2 minutes. Do not add the garlic yet
- Add ¾ cup white wine into the pot, and use a wooden spoon to scrape out the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. There's a lot of flavor in it, and it's called the fond. Do this for about 1-2 minutes, to cook out the alcohol as well.
- Add the browned chicken, cut shiitake mushrooms, smashed garlic cloves, 1¼ cups water reserved from mushroom soak, and braising sauce into the pot and mix everything together. Make sure everything is submerged in the liquid, especially the chicken.**Do not use the water near the bottom of the bowl, which may contain grit. If you don't have 1¼ cups of water from the leftover mushroom water, you can make up the difference with plain water or low-sodium chicken broth.
- Let everything simmer together for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat with the lid on.
- After 20 minutes, remove the lid and simmer for another 12-15 minutes to reduce the sauce to a syrupy consistency. Flip the chicken to get flavor on the other side if it's not fully submerged in liquid.
- After the sauce has thickened, add the green onions and stir everything for 1 minute until the green onions wilt.
- Your Chinese braised chicken is now ready to be served. Enjoy it with steamed rice or your favorite noodles.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*
Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, however I provide these links to make items easier to find if you cannot purchase this locally and I would never recommend anything I don’t own myself or highly recommend. I would prefer you buy your items locally if possible to support your local shops (and chances are they are cheaper locally as well!)
JC says
Made it with turkey legs & thighs and the sauce had plenty of flavor to make the meat yummy! Picky grandkids came over and inhaled it, husband raved about it.
Joyce Lee says
Hi JC!
I'm so happy everyone loved it! What a wonderful idea using turkey! I will definitely need to try this next time! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this!
Josie says
Muhammad Ayub says
This Imperial Chicken recipe looks absolutely delicious! I love how it combines bold flavors with a simple preparation.
Anonymous says
Joyce Lee says