Chicken Mushroom Stew

小鸡炖蘑菇

Chicken Mushroom Stew — Home-styleHeilongjiang home cooking.

Ingredients

• bone-in chicken thighs
• dried wild mushrooms (porcini or mix)
• scallion
• ginger
• light soy sauce

Instructions

1. Soak dried mushrooms in 500 ml cool water for 8 hours or overnight. Reserve soaking liquid (strain through cheesecloth). Slice mushrooms, keeping stems tender. (Mushrooms are plump, elastic, and release earthy aroma)
2. Rinse chicken; pat dry. Heat a 4.5-L enameled Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown chicken skin-side down in batches until crisp and golden (6–7 min per batch). (Skin blisters and curls at edges, deep golden color)
3. Remove chicken. Pour off all but 1 tbsp fat. Add ginger and scallion whites; stir-fry 1 min until fragrant. (Ginger sizzles actively, releasing sharp aroma)
4. Return chicken. Add mushrooms and reserved soaking liquid. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 1 hour. (Broth bubbles gently at edge, surface barely trembles)
5. Uncover. Skim surface fat. Add scallion greens. Simmer uncovered 10 more minutes to concentrate flavor. Taste and adjust with salt only — no extra soy. (Broth reduces slightly, coats spoon lightly)