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Vinegar-Braised Chicken Legs

5.0

(1)

Image may contain Food Pork Animal Bird Poultry and Fowl
Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li

We love homemade vinegar, but, yes, you can use supermarket stuff for this, and it will still be awesome.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

4 chicken legs (thigh and drumstick, about 3 pounds total)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
4 medium shallots, peeled, halved lengthwise
2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
1 red chile, sliced
8 garlic cloves, crushed
2 star anise pods
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup red wine vinegar
⅓ cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Sliced chives (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season chicken with salt. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium-high. Cook chicken, skin side down, until skin is golden brown and very crisp, 10–12 minutes. Transfer chicken skin side up to a plate.

    Step 2

    Add mushrooms, shallots, cinnamon, ginger, chile, garlic, and star anise to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots and garlic are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add broth, vinegar, raisins, soy sauce, and brown sugar and stir to dissolve sugar. Nestle chicken legs skin side up back into pot. Bring to a simmer and cook, lowering heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, until chicken is very tender (knee joints should flex easily), 60–75 minutes.

    Step 3

    Heat broiler. Transfer chicken to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce braising liquid until thick enough to lightly coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, if needed.

    Step 4

    Broil chicken legs just until skin is crisp again, 30–60 seconds. Transfer chicken to a serving platter and spoon braising liquid around it, topping with shallots and aromatic spices. Serve topped with chives.

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