Aromatic Chicken Braise

It is unfortunate that, due to digital photo issues, I could not provide the picture of this lovely dinner. Picture this though... a virginally white bed of fluffy rice topped with a chicken thigh, topped with a chicken leg. A sprinkling of chopped scallion and juilenned orange zest on top. Then a nice, rich dark brown sauce drizzled on and around. Maybe a little cloud of steam wafting from the top. Very Asian and delicious-looking.

That's what the picture looked like.

Anyhow, the flavors were really nice, too. Don't be afraid to add a little more red pepper flakes and Sichuan peppercorns. Don't substitute something else for the Sichuan (or Szechuan, for the non-indoctrinated) peppercorns. They have this funky lip-numbing property that is its essential characterstic, and no other spice really duplicates it. Oh, and it tastes distinct and awesome. So get some.

4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced gingerroot
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup minced green onion, white and green parts (divided use)
1 one-inch-square piece orange zest, plus 1 tsp julienned orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
1 ½ cups chicken broth (divided use)
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry wine
2 teaspoons sugar
4 cups steamed white rice

Trim the chicken pieces of excess fat and skin, and season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, 2 tbsp of the green onion, the square of orange zest, the cinnamon stick, red pepper flakes, and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry until aromatic, about 2 minutes. (Kev's NOTE: Do not burn the garlic as it will make the dish bitter. If you see it starting to go brown, take the wok off the heat and swirl everything around to cool it down a bit, still working to get the spices to 'go aromatic'. Put it back on the heat when you are ready to put the chicken in)

Add the chicken pieces to the mixture and stir-fry until light golden brown on all sides, 4-5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, the soy sauce, wine, and sugar and stir to combine. Bring to simmer and reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cover and cook gently until the chicken is opaque in the center but still tender, 25-30 minutes.

(Kev's NOTE: Nothing sucks more than dry chicken, except maybe dry turkey. It may not take 25-30 minutes to cook it; mine took about 18. You have to keep checking it by TOUCHING and SQUEEZING it. If you cut into it, you're going to release all of the juices. Start practicing and getting a feel for what meat that is cooked properly FEELS like to the touch. Also, the meat will continue to cook a bit when it is resting off the heat. It is beter to undercook it a little and have to warm it through for a bit than to 'pass the point of no return' and end up with a hockey puck)

Transfer the chicken to a platter with a slotted spoon, cover to keep warm, and return the wok to high heat. Add the remaining chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.

Return the chicken to the sauce along with any juices it has released on the platter. Heat thoroughly in the sauce and turn to coat evenly, about 2 minutes.

Remove the cinnamon stick and the zest square. Serve the chicken and sauce at once over a bed of rice, garnished with the remaining green onion and the orange zest.