Soy-Braised Chicken Wings

bon appétit dinner appetizer chinese asian lunar new year chicken soy braise dairy free peanut free tree nut free garlic spice

Lisa Cheng Smith

8 regular or 16 small servings

Source

Ingredients

2 (3-inch) pieces ginger, scrubbed, thinly sliced, divided

½ cup dark soy sauce, divided

2 tsp. Five-Spice Powder, divided

20–24 chicken wing pieces (about 2½ lb.)

3 Tbsp. vegetable or sunflower oil

1 shallot, thinly sliced

3 scallions, roots trimmed, halved crosswise

5 garlic cloves, smashed

1 red finger or Fresno chile, halved lengthwise

3 oz. Chinese rock or lump sugar or ¼ cup raw sugar

3 whole star anise

2 pieces dried licorice root (optional)

1 (4-inch-long) cassia or cinnamon stick

¼ tsp. freshly ground white pepper (optional)

¼ tsp. Sichuan peppercorns

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce

¼ cup unseasoned rice wine

Thickly sliced cucumbers (for serving; optional)

Method

Mix half of ginger, ¼ cup dark soy sauce, and 1 tsp. Five-Spice Powder in a medium bowl. Add wings; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

Heat oil in a wok or large deep-sided skillet over medium-high. Add shallot, scallions, garlic, chile, and remaining ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rock sugar, star anise, licorice root (if using), cassia, white pepper (if using), Sichuan peppercorns, and remaining 1 tsp. Five-Spice Powder and stir to combine. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, remaining ¼ cup dark soy sauce, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.

Lift chicken wings out of marinade; discard marinade. Add wings to wok and pour wine over. Stir gently, then bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low 15 minutes. Gently stir, then cover again and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through and a deep brown color, about 15 minutes longer. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer wings to a plate.

Pour liquid in wok through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Return strained liquid to wok and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook until sauce thickly coats a spoon, 10–12 minutes. Return chicken wings to sauce and toss to coat. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to a platter. Serve with cucumbers if using.