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My Most Popular Chinese Recipes ❤️
Tips, tricks, and recipes for perfect Chinese dishes
FREE EMAIL BONUS:
My Most Popular Chinese Recipes ❤️
Tips, tricks, and recipes for Chinese dishes
Chestnut Chicken Recipe
Chestnut chicken is a savory and comforting dish that’s perfect for any occasion. This dish combines tender chicken pieces with earthy shiitake mushrooms, sweet roasted chestnuts, and a flavorful sauce that’s sure to please your taste buds.
The combination of shiitake mushrooms and roasted chestnuts creates a unique and delicious flavor profile. The earthiness of the mushrooms complements the nuttiness of the chestnuts, and the combination adds a depth of flavor to the dish.
Why This Recipe Works
It’s one of the easiest chicken recipes to make at home and calls for only a few simple ingredients. It goes perfectly with rice or plain noodles, which makes it a great option for busy weeknights.
This dish is warm and comforting, making it the perfect meal for cold winter nights or for when you need a bit of comfort food.
It’s a nutritious dish that is high in protein and low in fat. It’s also a good source of vitamins and minerals, making it a healthy option for those looking to eat well.
Recipe Ingredients
This authentic chestnut chicken recipe is simply made with a few essential ingredients and a homemade brown sauce below:
- Dried shiitake mushrooms
- Chicken leg
- Roasted chestnuts
- Olive oil
- Ginger
- Scallion
- Water
The brown sauce calls for only three ingredients:
- Soy sauce
- Chinese Shaoxing wine
- Sugar
How To Make Chestnut Chicken
To prepare chestnut chicken, start by soaking dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for at least 30 minutes. This will help them to soften and absorb the flavors of the sauce. Once the mushrooms are softened, drain them and keep the mushroom-soaked water for cooking.
Next, heat up some cooking oil in a pan and stir-fry ginger and scallions until fragrant. Then, add chicken pieces and stir-fry until the meat turns white.
Add in the soaked shiitake mushrooms, roasted chestnuts and mixed brown sauce, and stir fry a few times. Then, pour in the mushroom-soaked water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serve immediately with hot white rice.
Cooking Tips
- Soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for at least 30 minutes before using them in the recipe. This will help them to soften and absorb the flavors of the sauce.
- To enhance the flavor of the dish, use the mushroom-soaked water for cooking. It adds an extra depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Using ready-to-use roasted chestnuts will bring a delicious nutty flavor to the final dish. You can find them in packs at your local grocery store. If you can’t find ready-to-use roasted chestnuts, you can substitute them with frozen or raw chestnuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to prepare raw chestnuts for cooking?
Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).
Use a sharp knife to make a small, shallow X on the flat side of each chestnut.
Place the chestnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Roast the chestnuts for 15-20 minutes, depending on their size.
Remove the chestnuts from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes.
Once the chestnuts are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife or your fingers to peel off the outer shell and the thin, papery skin underneath. Now they’re ready to use for this chestnut chicken recipe.
How to store leftover chestnut chicken?
Allow the dish to cool down completely and store it in an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat the dish in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes until warm and serve immediately.
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This recipe has 500 calories per serving.
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Chestnut Chicken
Ingredients
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 3 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any kind of vegetable oil)
- 2 tablespoons ginger (peeled and cut into thin strips)
- 2 stalks scallion (cut into 1 inch length)
- 1 1/2 lb (750 grams) chicken leg (chopped into small pieces )
- 5 oz (150 grams) (150 g) 1 pack of roasted chestnut (peeled )
Brown Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- To prepare the dried shiitake mushrooms, place them in a bowl (or a measuring cup), and add 3 cups of warm water. Allow the mushrooms to soak in the water for 30 minutes or until they are softened. Drain out the mushrooms and keep the water for cooking.
- Next, heat up 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan (or a wok) over medium heat and stir fry ginger and scallion until aromatic. Then, add in chicken and stir fry until the meat turns white.
- Add soaked mushrooms, chestnuts, soy sauce, Chinese Shaoxing wine, and sugar. Stir all ingredients together before adding 3 cups of mushroom-soaked water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes with the lid covered until the sauce thickens.
- Dish out and serve immediately.
Notes
- Soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for at least 30 minutes before using them in the recipe. This will help them to soften and absorb the flavors of the sauce.
- To enhance the flavor of the dish, use the mushroom-soaked water for cooking. It adds an extra depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Using roasted chestnuts will bring a delicious nutty flavor to the final dish and are ready to use. You can find them in packs at your local grocery store. If you can't find ready-to-use roasted chestnuts, you can substitute them with frozen or raw chestnuts.
A delicious and super easy dish to make that will show up on my table regularly. I think I will add some water chestnuts or celery near the end of the cook for a little textural variety.
Amazing
Used all the chicken putting breaststroke in later added teaspoon hot chilli flakes and a Clove of black garlic
😊👍
Do we need to marinate the chicken first?
You do not have to marinate the chicken first. You can cook with the water from soaking the mushrooms to add more flavor.