Chicken Stir-Fried with Wine

Chicken Stir-Fried with Wine

　　Made with Hakka wine and tender chicken, this dish features juicy chicken with a hint of the wine’s flavor. (It must be made with authentic Hakka “niang wine” for stir-frying.)

　　The highlight of this dish is the wine—the combination of niang wine and chicken reduces the harshness of alcohol and adds a sweet, fragrant taste. (Don’t drink too much, though—it has a strong aftereffect!) Women even eat this during postpartum recovery—it’s very nourishing.

　　When it comes to chicken stir-fried with wine, many visitors from out of town can’t stop praising it. Such delicious food has naturally gained a strong reputation. It’s arguably one of the most distinctive Hakka dishes in Xingning. It has three notable features: first, it’s nourishing, exceptionally fragrant, and smooth on the palate; second, it’s commonly used by Xingning locals for women recovering from childbirth; third, when a family welcomes a baby boy, they often prepare a large pot of this dish and share a bowl with every household in the village.

　　But not everyone can make chicken stir-fried with wine well—you need to know that everything matters, from selecting the wine and chicken to picking the ginger and other ingredients. Recently, I happened to meet an expert chef whose version of the dish boasts the perfect balance of wine, chicken, and ginger aroma. It’s so good, you’ll want to drink it by the bowl. Now, let’s take a quick look at how this chef makes his chicken stir-fried with wine.

　　1. First, drain the moisture from fresh chicken.

　　2. Slice the ginger. You’ll need it later.

　　3. Prepare some ultra-rich niang wine.

　　4. Start heating the pan—but don’t add oil yet. Just put the chicken in and stir-fry.

　　5. Keep stir-frying until the chicken changes color.

　　6. Once the chicken turns slightly brown and the pan is dry, add a bit of oil. Don’t use too much.

　　7. Put the ginger in and continue stir-frying over high heat.

　　8. Add a small spoonful of wine and simmer for a while.

　　9. Pour in a generous amount of niang wine into an earthenware pot. Bring it to a boil, then simmer over low heat for half an hour.

　　10. And there you have it—a nourishing pot of chicken stir-fried with wine is ready.