SMOKED CHICKEN

I’ve never smoked anything (food is what I’m referring to) before. Probably because I always thought that smoking some food always takes lots of effort. Not in this case you guys. This smoked chicken recipe is very easy to make and I was actually quite excited that I did it. lol! I love how the smokey flavor infused into the chicken and how tender the chicken is.

Few tips from Martin Yan’s Asian Favorite cookbook when you want to smoke the food. Make sure the windows are wide open (winter is not a good time to do this), turn on your stove’s exhaust fan, use an old wok if you have one and line with aluminum foil to protect it from the high heat of smoking; and leave a little extra foil hanging over the wok’s edge with which to create a smoke-tight seal with the wok’s lid. After all, you want to smoke the food, not your house 😉

SMOKED CHICKEN (4 servings)

Poaching liquid
3 cups water
1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
3 Tbsp dark soy sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp minced ginger

Smoking mixture
2/3 cup oolong or black tea leaves
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1 tsp Chinese five-spice poder

Basting sauce
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

4 chicken legs/thighs

COOKING METHOD:

1. To prepare poaching liquid, combine water, rice wine, soy sauces, sugar, and ginger in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add chicken; decrease heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove chicken; let cool and pat dry with paper towels

2. Line the inside of a wok and its lid with aluminum foil

3. To prepare the smoking mixture, in a small bowl combine tea leaves, brown sugar, rice, and five-spice. Spread evenly in the foil-lined wok. Set a round cake rack over smoking mixture. Place chicken on the rack

4. To make basting sauce, in a small bowl combine dark soy sauce and sesame oil; mix well

5. Heat wok, uncovered, over high heat until mixture begins to smoke. Cover wok with lid; decrease heat to medium-low and smoke for 7 to 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 3 minutes before removing lid

6. Brush chicken with basting sauce. Transfer chicken to a platter and serve