This braised mandarin chicken is the perfect weeknight dinner. Quick, healthy, and delicious. Served over fluffy basmati rice with some steamed broccoli it is going to be your new go-to family dinner.
4fresh hot chilies slicedoptional, leave out if cooking for kids or you are sensitive to spicy food
1/4cupspring onions sliced
1teaspoonsesame oil
Instructions
To make the sauce for the recipe, start by squeezing the juice from one mandarin into a mixing bowl. Then, add in sherry, soy sauce, and sugar to the bowl. Use a whisk or spoon to mix all the ingredients together until they are well combined.
Crush green peppercorns and mix them into the sacue.
To prepare the mandarin for the recipe, begin by scooping out the pith from the mandarin halves. Then, cut the rind into fine shreds. Be sure to cover the shreds to prevent them from drying out before they are needed for the recipe. The mandarin shreds will be used to add a burst of citrus flavor to the dish, so it's important to keep them fresh and moist.
Heat up the wok over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the wok is hot, add the finely chopped ginger, dried chilies, fresh chilies (if using), and the mandarin rind to the wok. Stir-fry the ingredients for about 10 seconds until the aromas are released and the ingredients are lightly browned. Be careful not to burn the ingredients or they will become bitter.
Add the chicken pieces to the wok. Turn up the heat to high and toss the chicken continuously, pressing it against the sides of the wok, until the chicken is no longer pink. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Pour the sauce that you prepared earlier (the mixture of mandarin juice, sherry, soy sauce, and sugar) into the wok and stir to combine. Lower the heat to low, cover the wok with a lid, and let the chicken simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
While the chicken is cooking, peel the remaining mandarin and segment it into pieces. To segmentthe mandarin, cut off both ends of the fruit. Then, carefully cut along the sides of each segment, separating the fruit from the white pith. Repeat this process until all the segments have been removed. Set the segmented mandarin aside until it is time to add it to the wok.
Once the chicken is cooked and tender, add the sliced spring onions to the wok and cook on high heat, uncovered, for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Then, add the segmented mandarin slices to the wok and gently stir to combine with the chicken and sauce. Cook for another minute or so until the mandarin slices are heated through. Turn off the heat and drizzle with a little sesame oil.
Happy cooking and enjoy your delicious mandarin chicken If you have any further questions or need any more assistance, leave me a comment in comments section below.
Notes
Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar and chili peppers based on your personal preference for sweetness and spiciness.
I used chicken marylands but you can use chicken legs or chicken breasts in this recipe.
To make the dish gluten-free, you can use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce.
If you want to make the dish vegetarian or vegan, you can substitute the chicken with tofu or seitan.
Be sure to keep an eye on the chicken as it simmers with the sauce, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.
Garnish the dish with chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, and sesame seeds.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to reheat thoroughly before serving.