For a week that gets a little chillier in the middle of Summer, try our version of chicken in wine, prepared with essentially Chinese herbs and wine. What makes it distinctive to the Chinese version of the dish is the wine – fermented rice wine known as Xaoxing wine. It is sweet, almost like a sherry which gives a mild marinade to the chicken. Unlike its French counterpart, this dish uses more spice than herb, sometimes flavouring it with a bark of cinnamon but mostly star anise which is signature to asian cooking.
Mushrooms are used as a matter of choice but never overpowering the taste of chicken which is the main highlight of the dish. A bit of vegetable adds further dimension, colour and balance to the chicken. It pairs very well with a bowl of steamed rice. This is one of my favourite meals when I want a good bit of sustenance and rejuvenation after a long day of work.
Besides its more than enough protein you can ask for in one dish. If you pair it with a lighter green vegetable such as pak choy, you get an elegant classy Chinese dinner. A bowl of plain steamed rice completes the overall taste making it wholly satisfying.Interestingly, this simple and fulfilling meal works beautifully with a glass of red wine.
