A comforting Chinese home-style braise of tender chicken thighs slowly simmered with shiitake mushrooms, plenty of ginger and garlic, and a glossy, savoury soy gravy. Carrots, edamame and pak choi cook in the same pot, so it’s an easy one-pot dinner. Chicken and edamame make it high in protein, and the mushrooms and vegetables add plenty of fibre.
1.
Soak the shiitake in 500ml hot water until soft (30 minutes), or overnight in the fridge in cold water.
2.
Squeeze out the mushrooms, keeping the soaking liquid. Remove the stalks and halve any large mushrooms. Strain the liquid and top it up to 500ml with water if needed.
3.
Heat the olive oil in the casserole over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken (3–4 minutes each side).
4.
Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant (1 minute). Add the mushrooms and stir for 1 minute.
5.
Add the light soy, mushroom soy, dark soy, carrots and the mushroom liquid. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently until the chicken is tender and cooked through with no pink meat near the bone (25 minutes). If you have a thermometer, it should read 75c.
6.
Uncover, add the edamame and simmer until the gravy has reduced and thickened slightly (5 minutes).
7.
Put the pak choi on top, cover and cook until just tender (3 minutes).
8.
Meanwhile, heat the rice following the pack instructions.
9.
Drizzle with the sesame oil and serve with the rice.
10.
Make ahead: Braises taste even better the next day, so make it ahead and reheat until piping hot.
11.
12.
Storage information
Leave to cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot all the way through. Freeze the chicken, mushrooms and gravy for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot. The pak choi is best cooked fresh.
Tip
Lower carb: Skip the rice and add extra pak choi or broccoli. Thicker gravy: Stir in ½ tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water at the end and simmer for 1 minute.
Cost-saving tips
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