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Chestnut Chicken

板栗烧鸡 · Bǎn lì shāo jī

Chicken with soft peeled chestnuts. Ready-to-eat cooked chestnuts are added late so they do not crumble.

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Prep15 min
Cook45 min
Serves3
DifficultyMedium
Chestnut Chicken — AI-generated dish reference, not a photo
AI-generated dish reference · not a photograph · China Table · AI-generated · Original AI illustration
Recipe guide · not yet kitchen-testedAI-assisted editorial draft. Timing depends on your stove, pan, and ingredient size. Use the doneness checks below.

Let’s get cooking

  1. 01

    Prepare ingredients

    Pat chicken dry without washing raw poultry. Check cooked chestnuts and keep them whole.

  2. 02

    Brown gently

    Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy pot. Brown the drained meat for 4–6 minutes, turning, then add ginger and stir for 30 seconds.

  3. 03

    Simmer covered

    Add soy sauces, measured water, and sugar, reserving the chestnuts. Bring to a boil, then cover and keep at a gentle simmer for 25 minutes. Add a little hot water if the pan begins drying out.

  4. 04

    Warm chestnuts

    Add cooked chestnuts and simmer 10–15 minutes. Check chicken reaches 74°C away from the bone. Reduce sauce uncovered, turning gently to keep chestnuts whole.

A little kitchen wisdom

Use a gentle simmer and check the liquid level occasionally; thick pots still need monitoring.

Can’t find an ingredient?

Dark soy sauce: Omit it for a lighter colour; do not replace it with an equal extra amount of light soy sauce.

Cook safely

Chicken must reach 74°C / 165°F in the thickest part. Keep raw poultry and cooked food separate.

FoodSafety.gov guidance ↗