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Braised Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms and Ginger

Braised Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms and Ginger

By Diane UngerFebruary 10, 2020

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour 20 minutes
  • Rating

For this flavorful braise, we took inspiration from the flavor of a classic Chinese clay pot chicken and rice. The combination of oyster sauce, soy sauce and shiitake mushrooms packs tons of umami into the dish, while ginger adds a balancing piquancy. Be sure to use low-sodium soy sauce and low-sodium chicken broth (you also can substitute water for the broth) so the sauce won’t end up too salty. Serve with steamed rice on the side.

Tip

Don’t forget to remove the chicken skins after searing. We leave the skins on for browning to develop drippings that add depth to the finished dish and to render flavorful fat that’s used for sautéing the mushrooms and aromatics. But the skins turn soggy when cooked in liquid, so we remove them before nestling the thighs into the pot for braising.

Ingredients
  • 2

    pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • 12

    ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and halved

  • 1

    medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • 1

    cup low-sodium chicken broth (see note)

  • 6

    tablespoons oyster sauce

  • ¼

    cup low-sodium soy sauce

  • 3

    inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

  • 1

    teaspoon cornstarch

  • Thinly sliced scallions, to serve

  • Sesame seeds, toasted, to serve

Step 1

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking.

Add the chicken skin down, reduce to medium and cook without disturbing until the skin is well browned, about 10 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned on the second sides, about 3 minutes.

Transfer to a large plate, then pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken thighs.

Step 2

Return the pot to medium and add the mushrooms and onion. Cover and cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown and the onion has softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the broth and 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the oyster sauce, soy sauce and ginger, then bring to a simmer.

Return the chicken and accumulated juices to the pot, cover and cook over medium until a skewer inserted into the largest thigh meets no resistance, about 40 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through.

Step 3

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a serving dish and cover to keep warm. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons water and the cornstarch, then whisk the mixture into the cooking liquid.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, then spoon the mushrooms and sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds.

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