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Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots served in a bowl
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Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Marinate time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 whole chicken legs 2个全鸡腿
  • 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped 3瓣蒜，切碎
  • 3 slices ginger 3片姜
  • 2 potatoes 2个土豆
  • 1 carrot 1根胡萝卜
  • 2 bay leaves 2片香叶
  • 1 star anise 1个八角
  • 2 –3 tablespoons cooking oil 2-3汤匙食用油
  • 700 –800 ml water 700-800毫升水

Chicken Marinade 鸡肉腌料

  • ¾ teaspoon salt 3/4茶匙盐

Seasoning 调料

  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1汤匙生抽
  • ⅛ cup dark soy sauce 1/8杯老抽
  • Salt and sugar to taste 根据口味加入盐和糖调味

Instructions

Step 1 — Marinate the Chicken

  • Wash the chicken legs thoroughly and remove any blood clots around the bone area. Rub ¾ teaspoon of salt all over the chicken and leave it to marinate for about 30 minutes.
  • Tip: Don’t skip this step. Even a short marinate makes a real difference to the flavour and helps get rid of any unwanted smell from the chicken.

Step 2 — Prep the Vegetables

  • While the chicken is marinating, roughly chop the garlic and slice the ginger. Cut the potatoes into chunks and the carrot into large pieces. If any carrot pieces are very big, just cut them in half so they cook evenly.

Step 3 — Pan Fry the Chicken

  • Heat 2–3 tablespoons of oil in a pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken skin side down. Cook on low to medium heat until the skin turns golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for a few minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the pot and set aside.
  • Tip: Take your time here. Getting a good golden colour on the skin adds a lot of depth and richness to the final dish.

Step 4 — Sauté the Aromatics and Vegetables

  • In the same pot, add the garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant and the edges start to turn golden. Add the potatoes, carrots, star anise, and bay leaves. Toss everything together a few times.

Step 5 — Braise

  • Add the chicken back into the pot. Pour in 700–800 ml of water — you want the water to almost cover the chicken. Add the light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, put the lid on, and simmer for 45 minutes.

Step 6 — Reduce and Finish

  • Once done, season with salt and sugar to taste. Remove the lid and let it simmer for another 15 minutes to reduce the sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with steamed rice.

Notes

  • Marinate the chicken even if you’re short on time. Thirty minutes is ideal but even 15 minutes makes a difference.
  • Don’t rush the skin. Getting it properly golden before braising gives the dish so much more flavour — it’s worth the extra few minutes.
  • Cut your vegetables in similar-sized chunks so they cook evenly. You don’t want some pieces mushy while others are still firm.
  • Taste before adding more salt. The soy sauces is quite salty, so test and adjust at the end.
    The final 15 minutes without the lid is important. This is what concentrates the sauce and gives it that deeper flavour. If you want the sauce to be thicker, you can add cornstarch mixture.