# How to Make Braised Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms

![Braised Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms](./香菇滑鸡.jpg)

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★

## Essential Ingredients and Tools

- Large chicken legs
- Dried shiitake mushrooms
- Ginger
- Green onions
- Garlic

## Measurements

Per serving:

- Large chicken legs: 2
- Dried shiitake mushrooms: 5 pieces
- Ginger: 2 slices
- Green onions: 2 stalks
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Warm water (30-40 ℃): 150ml
- Cooking wine: 15ml
- Light soy sauce: 30ml
- Salt: 1.5g
- Dark soy sauce: 15ml
- Sugar: 15ml
- Sesame oil: 5ml

## Instructions

- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water until softened.
- Cut the ginger into small pieces, cut the green onions into sections, and halve the garlic cloves.
- Bone the chicken legs (you can leave the bones in, but it might slightly affect a programmer's efficiency while eating). Cut the chicken into small pieces.
- Cut the soaked shiitake mushrooms into quarters. Reserve the mushroom soaking water for later use.
- Blanch the chicken pieces in boiling water for 1 minute to remove blood foam and impurities.
- Add 15ml of cooking wine, 15ml of light soy sauce, 1.5g of salt, and 15ml of dark soy sauce to the chicken pieces. Mix well.
- Heat oil to 30% temperature (low heat). Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Leave a little oil in the wok. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry over high heat.
- After about 20 seconds, you will smell the aroma of the shiitake mushrooms. Add the fried chicken pieces, all of the reserved mushroom water (**this programmer considers this the soul of the dish**), 15ml of sugar, and 30ml of light soy sauce.
- Reduce heat to medium, leave the lid off, and simmer for 2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Drizzle with 5ml of sesame oil, sprinkle with chopped green onions, then turn off the heat and plate.

## Additional Notes

- Boneless chicken leg preparation is relatively complex. Here is my experience for reference:
  - Place the chicken leg flat on the cutting board, with the **bone facing the programmer**. Make a deep cut from the top to the bottom, ensuring you touch the bone.
  - Use your hands to pull the meat to the sides.
  - Use the tip of the knife to separate the meat clinging to the bone.
  - Flip the chicken leg. Insert the knife tip close to the bone and cut through the connection points between the bone and the meat.
  - Use the knife tip to sever the final attachments.

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvement while following this guide, please submit an Issue or Pull request.