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Soy Braised Chicken Wings

Deborah
Beautifully tender wings, coated in the most delicious and rich full of flavour sauce.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Marinating time - 1 to 8 hours
Total Time 9 hours 15 minutes
Course Snack, Starter
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 6 to 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1kg chicken wings – wing tips removed and jointed

For the marinade:

  • 3" piece of ginger finely sliced
  • 60ml dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder

For the braising and sauce:

  • 3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
  • 1 shallot thinly sliced
  • 3 spring onions halved diagonally
  • 5 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 red chilli halved lengthways
  • 3" piece of ginger finely sliced
  • 60g raw sugar (see Notes)
  • 3 whole star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
  • 0.25 tsp Szechuan peppercorns
  • 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
  • 60ml dark soy sauce
  • 125ml light soy sauce
  • 250ml water
  • 60ml Shaoxing rice wine

Instructions
 

  • Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Put the chicken wings into a large plastic bowl or sandwich bag and add the marinade. Mix well, ensuring each wing is well coated. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and chill for at least 1 hour, and up to 8 hours.
  • Now make the sauce to braise the wings – heat the oil in a wok over a medium to high heat. Add the shallot, spring onions, garlic, chilli and ginger – cook for 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly.
  • Now add the sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, white pepper, Szechuan peppercorns and Chinese 5 spice – stir to combine well. Pour in the dark and light soy sauces, the water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium low.
  • Put the oven on to a low heat (to keep the wings warm later in this step). Remove the wings from the marinade and discard.   Add the wings to the wok and pour in the Shaoxing rice wine, stir gently and bring to a simmer.   Cover and cook over a medium to low heat for 15 minutes.   Stir, cover again and cook for another 15 minutes.  Transfer the wings to a plate or bowl and place in the warm oven.
  • Sieve the sauce and discard the whole ingredients. Return the sauce to the wok, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer and reduce the sauce for 10 to 12 minutes.   Remove the wings from the oven, pour over the sauce and garnish with the chopped spring onions and serve.

Notes

  • Raw sugar is natural unrefined cane sugar, so you can use demerara or golden granulated sugar for this recipe.
  • Make ahead – the chicken wings can be marinaded up to 8 hours in advance.
  • This soy braised chicken wings recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people (the photos are half the recipe).

 

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Keyword braised, chicken wings, wok