How to cook braised chicken until tender
Braised chicken is a classic home-cooked dish, but how to cook it to make the chicken tender and juicy is a concern of many kitchen novices and cooking enthusiasts. Combining the hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days, we have compiled the cooking tips and precautions for braised chicken to help you easily make tender and delicious braised chicken.
1. Key factors for tender braised chicken

The tenderness of braised chicken mainly depends on the following key factors:
| factors | Description | Suggestions |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken selection | Different parts of chicken have different tenderness | It is recommended to use chicken legs or wings, the meat is more tender |
| Marinate time | Marinating makes the chicken more flavorful and tender | Marinate for at least 30 minutes, add starch or egg white |
| Fire control | Excessive heat can easily cause the chicken to become woody | Simmer over medium-low heat to avoid rapid loss of juice over high heat |
| cooking time | If the time is too long, the chicken will lose moisture. | Stewing time is controlled at 20-30 minutes |
2. The classic steps of braised chicken
The following is the classic braised chicken recipe that has been verified by the entire Internet to ensure the chicken is tender and tender:
| steps | Operation | Things to note |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prepare ingredients | 500g chicken legs or wings, sliced ginger, green onions, star anise, bay leaves, etc. | Cut the chicken into pieces and soak in water to remove the blood |
| 2. Pickle | Add 1 spoon of cooking wine, 1 spoon of light soy sauce, half a spoon of dark soy sauce, and a little starch | Catch evenly and marinate for more than 30 minutes |
| 3. Fry | Heat the pan with cold oil and fry the chicken until golden brown on both sides | Do not stir frequently and keep the heat on medium |
| 4. Stew | Add seasonings and hot water, just enough to cover the chicken | Use hot water to prevent chicken from shrinking when cold |
| 5. Collect the juice | Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes and then reduce to high heat. | Pay attention when collecting the juice to avoid burning the pot |
3. The hotly discussed technique for tenderizing braised chicken
Based on popular discussions in the past 10 days, these tips shared by netizens are worth trying:
| Skills | Source | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Beer instead of water | Food Blogger @Kitchen Expert | Enzymes in beer make meat more tender |
| Add hawthorn slices | Zhihu popular answers | Acidic substances help break down meat fiber |
| Slow cooking method | TikTok popular videos | Keep the water temperature at 60 degrees for 30 minutes and then braise |
| Pressure cooker assist | Xiaohongshu Popular Notes | Use high pressure for 10 minutes to collect the juice, saving time and making it tender. |
4. Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled professional answers to the braised chicken issues that netizens are most concerned about recently:
| question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Why is my braised chicken always so bad? | It may be that the heat is too high or the stewing time is too long. It is recommended to use medium to small heat and control the time. |
| Can chicken breast be used to make braised chicken? | It is possible but easy to cook. It is recommended to shorten the cooking time or treat it with meat tenderizer in advance. |
| Does braised chicken need to be blanched? | It is not recommended to blanch it, just fry it. Blanching will cause moisture loss. |
| How to make braised chicken more delicious? | Extend the marinating time, or add an appropriate amount of rock sugar when stewing to enhance the freshness |
5. Summary
Making tender braised chicken requires attention in many aspects including material selection, marinating, and heating. Innovative methods such as beer stewing method and hawthorn slice assistance, which have been hotly discussed on the Internet recently, are also worth trying. Remember the key points: good ingredients + adequate marinating + proper heat = perfect braised chicken. I hope this article helps you make restaurant-quality braised chicken with ease!
If you have a better secret to tender braised chicken, please share it in the comment area, and let’s explore the delicious secrets of this classic home-cooked dish.
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