An intensely flavorful dish full of aromatics and a caramelized sauce. Braised chicken and scallions is great for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that will be sure to satisfy!
A remake of a classic dish
I posted a braised pork belly recipe, but many of you said you can’t eat pork. So, I created this braised chicken and scallions recipe that replicates all of the same flavors and even takes much less time to cook.
The flavors of this dish are intensified by toasted aromatics and caramelized sugar for a deeper flavor. The chicken also soaks up all of the flavors from the braising liquid. Ultimately, you end up with juicy bites of chicken coated with a succulent sauce that pairs perfectly with steamed white rice.
Ingredients you’ll need
- chicken thighs, skin-off
- lemongrass stalk
- ginger knob
- scallions
- soy sauce
- oyster sauce
- fish sauce
- dark soy sauce
All of these ingredients and my favorite brands for cooking can be found here on my Amazon Storefront page!
Tips for juicy braised chicken
First, I’m using chicken thighs because of the high fat-content. More fat means the chicken will stay moist when cooking and be less likely to dry out, especially when compared to chicken breast. You can use chicken breast for this recipe, but you’ll need to be more careful not to overcook it.
This recipe uses far less braising liquid compared to my braised pork belly recipe. Chicken cooks quickly, so it doesn’t need to be braised nearly as long to achieve a tender result.
1. First use high heat to sear the chicken and lock in the juices.
2. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 10 to 15 minutes for ultra soft chicken.
3. Lastly, increase the heat to the highest setting and let the sauce thicken to your desired consistency (1 to 2 minutes).
The goal is to minimize the the cooking time of the chicken to ensure it doesn’t overcook. Chicken is very delicate, so after it’s done simmering it shouldn’t be left on the heat for too long.
How to serve
This braised chicken and scallions recipe has very strong flavors, so it balances well with a bowl of steamed white rice. I prefer jasmine or sticky short-grain rice. I also like to serve it with leafy green vegetables like bok choy or mustard greens.
It stores well in the refrigerator for several days. Simply cover and reheat on low in a nonstick pan with a splash of broth or water.
Watch my video tutorial here
Braised Chicken and Scallions
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
An intensely flavorful dish full of aromatics and a caramelized sauce. It’s great for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that will be sure to satisfy!
Ingredients
- 1lb chicken thighs, skinless + boneless
- salt to taste
- 3 large garlic, roughly minced (15g)
- 3 slices ginger (15g)
- 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped into long pieces
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 4 scallion stalks
Instructions
- Start by caramelizing the sugar – heat the sugar in a nonstick pan on medium heat. Watch closely and stir more often as it continues to melt. Cook until the sugar is completely melted and has a dark amber color (do not rush this process, or you risk burning it). Slowly add ⅓ cup of water and stir until the sugar has melted again. Set aside for later.
- In the meantime, prepare the aromatics. Roughly mince the garlic and slice the ginger (leaving the skin intact is ok). Chop off the bottom of the lemongrass stalk and remove the tough outer leaves. Then pound to help release the essence and chop into long pieces. Also remove the scallion ends and chop into long pieces.
- Then add a generous amount of oil to a large wok or pan on high heat and add the garlic, ginger and lemongrass. Stir for about 1 minute, until the fragrance is released (be careful not to burn it). Add the chicken and season with a light sprinkle of salt. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned, but not cooked all the way through.
- Pour in the sugar mixture from earlier. Then add in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce and dark soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Remove the lid, add in the chopped scallions and bring to a rigorous boil for about 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Pair with steamed white rice and enjoy!
Notes
All of these ingredients and my favorite brands for cooking can be found here on my Amazon Storefront page!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Keywords: braised chicken
