TRINI-CHINESE CHICKEN

Trini-Chinese Chicken image

Chinese-style chicken is a dish you can find all over Trinidad and within the diaspora that has followed the nation's emergence from British rule. The skin is fried into a lacquered mahogany. The meat beneath it tastes of five-spice, ginger and soy and is generally accompanied by a hum of oyster sauce mixed with the zing of the pickled Scotch-bonnet-pepper sauce that is seemingly omnipresent on the island's tables.

Provided by Sam Sifton

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

8 to 10 chicken thighs, legs and wings,about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds total
2 tablespoons five-spice powder
3 limes
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 2-inch knob ginger root, peeled andminced
1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 cup oyster sauce
1 to 3 tablespoons Scotch-bonnet-peppersauce, ideally Matouk's Soca, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped scallions, for garnish.

Steps:

In a large, nonreactive bowl, toss the chicken with five-spice powder, then with the juice of 2 of the limes, the soy sauce and the ginger. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
Heat oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat. There should be at least 1/4 inch of oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip back into the bowl, and fry, in batches if necessary to not crowd the pan, turning the pieces frequently, until well browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. Combine oyster sauce, a tablespoon of the Scotch-bonnet-pepper sauce and the juice of the remaining lime and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings with more hot sauce, lime juice and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Garnish with scallions and serve with white or fried rice, with a drizzle of the sauce over each piece of chicken and the remaining sauce on the side.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 731, UnsaturatedFat 44 grams, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fat 60 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 38 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 1279 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams