🧂 Ingredients:
- Chicken thighs or chicken pieces: 500 g
- Cooked chestnuts: 200 g (vacuum-packed or boiled and peeled)
- Ginger: 3 slices
- Garlic: 2 cloves (crushed)
- Cooking wine (e.g., Shaoxing wine): 1 tbsp
- Light soy sauce: 2 tbsp
- Dark soy sauce: 1 tsp (for color)
- Rock sugar or regular sugar: 1 tsp
- Salt: to taste
- Water or chicken broth: about 300 ml
- Cooking oil: a little for frying
🍳 Instructions:
- Preparation
Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry. Peel and prepare the chestnuts (pre-cooked chestnuts can be used directly).
- Sauté aromatics
Heat oil in a pan, add ginger and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant.
- Brown the chicken
Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry over high heat until slightly golden. Pour in the cooking wine to remove any gamey smell.
- Season and color
Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Stir well so the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
- Simmer
Pour in hot water or broth until the chicken is almost covered. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add chestnuts
Add the chestnuts and continue simmering for another 10 minutes so they absorb the flavor of the sauce.
- Thicken and finish
When the sauce becomes rich and slightly thick, and the chicken is tender, season with a little salt and serve.