With Just a Little Bit of that Easter Ham...

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Make With Just a Little Bit of that Easter Ham...

Ginger and Shaoxing rice wine give a deep, round intensity to chicken, turning it into something sumptuous. The salty savor of country ham and chewy, dense chestnuts help make each forkful a hit.

Braised Chicken with Smoked Ham, Chestnuts and Ginger

Serves 8

Total time:  1 hour, thirty minutes

Ingredients

Marinated Chicken

2 3/4 cups water

12 dried Chinese black mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup sliced peeled ginger

1/4 cup Shaoxing wine or dry Oloroso Sherry(darker nuttier sherry)

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 small chickens each weighing 2 to 3 pounds each cut into 6 pieces (legs, thighs, and breasts without backbones)

Chicken and Sauce

2 3/4 cups water

2 tablespoons corn oil

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 cup finely julienned peeled ginger

1/2 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup Shaoxing wine or dry Oloroso Sherry

3/4 cup dry Oloroso Sherry

2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoon cold water, divided

3 1/2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

7 to 8 ounces bottled roasted chestnuts

1/4 pound thinly sliced country ham 

Preparation

Marinate chicken 1 day ahead

Bring water to a simmer in a small saucepan, then stir in mushrooms and simmer 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then strain through a sieve into a large bowl. Discard stems, then chill mushroom caps, covered, until ready to braise chicken. Stir remaining marinade ingredients into mushroom liquid, then add chicken and marinate, chilled, stirring occasionally, 1 day.

Brown chicken in 3 batches and make the sauce

Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry (discard marinade).

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Just before browning each batch of chicken, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Brown, skin side down first, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon oil from skillet, then reduce heat to medium-low and sauté ginger, stirring, 1 minute (do not brown). Add white wine and Shaoxing and boil until reduced by three fourths, about 5 minutes. Add broth, 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, soy sauce, white pepper, and remaining 2 teaspoons kosher salt and bring to a simmer.

Combine cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons cold water and whisk into sauce, then boil 1 minute. Set aside.

Braise Chicken

Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a 6-to 8-quart heavy pot (place white meat on top). Add sauce, chestnuts, and reserved mushroom caps. Gently simmer, covered, until chicken is just cooked through, 15 to 25 minutes.

Cut breasts in half and return to pot. Add ham. Gently simmer 3 minutes more.

Serve with a deliciously fragrant jasmine rice.

Cooks Notes:

Braised chicken can be made 1 day ahead and chilled (covered once cool). Reheat before serving.

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