star anise and ginger chicken

Even though I've been baking, I realized I haven't been cooking as much. Not enough time spent with the pots, pans, spatulas, or the stove. So today I made Star Anise and Ginger Chicken, a healthy and simple dish that got me kudos from my mom and both my sisters :) The star anise-braised chicken fills the kitchen with an almost exotic fragrance. The recipe called for clementine or orange juice, but I found that tangerine juice worked just fine. It tenderized the chicken and created a delicious sweet and tangy sauce that perfectly coats the meat and even candied the ginger slices, making them tasty on their own.

I love how star anise enhances the flavors and aromas of a dish. Now that I've used it to braise meat, I'll find a way to incorporate it in my baking soon :)


Star Anise and Ginger Chicken 

adapted from Leite's Culinaria
yields about 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil
2 lbs chicken legs or whatever you like
salt
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Chinese rice wine (michiu, or you could use sake or dry sherry)
1/2 cup chicken stock, broth, or water
1 tbs honey
1 star anise
1/4 cup light or low-sodium soy sauce
3 or 4 tbs fresh clementine/orange juice (I juiced two tangerines...with my bare hands...hey, whatever gets the job done)
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

- Wash the chicken legs, then heat the oil in a medium to large saucepan. Place the chicken legs, skin side down, into the sauce pan and be careful not to crowd them (you may need to work in batches). Cook until brown, about 4 minutes each side, then transfer to a plate and lightly salt.
- Drain the saucepan except for a tablespoon of oil. Add the ginger, garlic, rice wine, chicken stock/broth/water, honey, star anise, and soy sauce and bring to a boil.
- Add in the clementine/orange juice and the chicken pieces back in to the sauce pan. Turn the heat to medium low and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and let simmer for 5 more minutes until tender.
- Transfer the cooked chicken onto a large plate and skim any fat from the surface of the remaining sauce. Take a sip of the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary, and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced slightly (the more you reduce the sauce, the saltier it becomes). Remove and discard the star anise, add the chicken back in to coat with the sauce, then add the scallions. Finally, eat!