BRAISED CHICKEN WITH SMOKED HAM, CHESTNUTS, AND GINGER

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Braised Chicken with Smoked Ham, Chestnuts, and Ginger image

Ginger and Shaoxing rice wine give a deep, round intensity to chicken, turning it into something sumptuous. The salty savor of country ham and chewy, dense chestnuts help make each forkful a hit.

Provided by Andrea Reusing

Categories     Chicken     Ginger     Braise     Marinate     Dinner     Lunar New Year     Ham     Chestnut     Party     Gourmet     Dairy Free     Peanut Free

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 28

For marinated chicken:
2 3/4 cups water
12 dried Chinese black mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup sliced peeled ginger
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine or dry Oloroso Sherry
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 small chickens (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), each cut into 6 pieces (legs, thighs, and breasts without backbones)
For cooking chicken and sauce:
2 3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup finely julienned peeled ginger
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup Shaoxing wine or dry Oloroso Sherry
3/4 cup dry Oloroso Sherry
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoon cold water, divided
3 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
7 to 8 ounces bottled roasted chestnuts
1/4 pound thinly sliced country ham or speck
Accompaniment: steamed jasmine rice

Steps:

  • Marinate chicken 1 day ahead:
  • Bring water to a simmer in a small saucepan, then stir in mushrooms and simmer 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then strain through a sieve into a large bowl. Discard stems, then chill mushroom caps, covered, until ready to braise chicken. Stir remaining marinade ingredients into mushroom liquid, then add chicken and marinate, chilled, stirring occasionally, 1 day.
  • Brown chicken in 3 batches and make sauce:
  • Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry (discard marinade).
  • Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Just before browning each batch of chicken, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Brown, skin side down first, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
  • Pour off all but 1 tablespoon oil from skillet, then reduce heat to medium-low and sauté ginger, stirring, 1 minute (do not brown). Add white wine and Shaoxing and boil until reduced by three fourths, about 5 minutes. Add broth, 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, soy sauce, white pepper, and remaining 2 teaspoons kosher salt and bring to a simmer.
  • Combine cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons cold water and whisk into sauce, then boil 1 minute.
  • Braise chicken:
  • Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a 6-to 8-quart heavy pot (place white meat on top). Add sauce, chestnuts, and reserved mushroom caps. Gently simmer, covered, until chicken is just cooked through, 15 to 25 minutes.
  • Cut breasts in half and return to pot. Add ham. Gently simmer 3 minutes more.

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