Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs

This easy creamy garlic chicken thighs recipe delivers tender, juicy chicken cooked in a rich, savory garlic sauce with fresh cherry tomatoes and baby spinach. Perfect for busy weeknights, it comes together in just one pan for a simple meal the whole family will love.

Read More

Braised Chicken Wings with Potatoes

This classic Cantonese braised chicken wings with potatoes features tender, juicy wings and melt-in-your-mouth potato chunks simmered in a rich, savory soy sauce gravy. It is the ultimate Hong Kong home-style comfort food that brings nostalgic flavors right to your family dinner table.

If you’ve lived in Hong Kong for a while, you would’ve known this dish, Braised Chicken Wings with Potatoes, or tasted it before. It’s so homey and tasty dish.

Read More

Poached Chicken in Spicy Sauce (貴妃雞)

Traditional poached chicken is very popular in Hong Kong. If the chicken is just cooked through with silky smooth skin and the meat is succulent, it’s a high-praised dish that’s well-accepted by everyone.

This traditional poached chicken in spicy sauce delivers succulent, juicy chicken with silky smooth skin infused with aromatic spiced brine.

Steaming the chicken gently and immediately submersing it into a chilled, fragrant brine locks in moisture while allowing every bite to absorb deep herbal notes. It is a simple, nourishing meal that brings restaurant-quality Cantonese home cooking to your dinner table with grace and balance.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Silky, Succulent Texture: Gentle steaming paired with an ice-cold brine bath guarantees tender meat and smooth skin.
• Flavor-Packed Chilled Brine: A fragrant combination of star anise, cinnamon, dried mandarin peel, and dried prawns infuses incredible depth.
• Effortless Ahead Prep: Cool and soak the chicken in advance for a stress-free meal served straight from the fridge.
• Foolproof Food Safety: Accurate temperature testing takes all the guesswork out of cooking whole chicken thighs perfectly.

Key Tips for Success

• Toast Dried Prawns First: Dry-fry the prawns until aromatic to unlock their rich savory flavor before adding them to the brine.
• Chill Brine Completely: Ensure the spice brine is fully refrigerated and ice-cold before adding cooked chicken to rapidly stop residual cooking.
• Use a Meat Thermometer: Insert a digital probe into the thickest part of the thigh until it reaches 75°C (165°F) for perfect safety and juiciness.
• Sizzle the Ginger Scallion: Pour smoking hot oil directly over minced ginger and green onions for an authentic, aromatic finishing sauce.

---

Poached Chicken in Spicy Sauce Recipe (Printable recipe)
By Christine’s Recipes
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins ＋ soaking time 6 hrs
Yield: 2 to 3 serves

Ingredients:

• 2 (700gm) chicken maryland pieces (chicken leg with thigh) or ½ chicken
• 4 slices ginger
• 1 stalk spring onion
• 15 gm dried prawns
• minced ginger with chopped spring onion with oil, for serving

Brine sauce:

• 1 L water
• 2 Tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 3 slices ginger
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 pieces bay leaves
• 2 star anise
• 4 pieces ginger
• 1 pieces dried mandarin peel
• 2 pieces licorice root (甘草gān cǎo)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp shaoxing wine

Method:

1. Soak the dried prawns until softened. Drain well. Stir fry in a small pan without any oil over medium heat until aromatic. Set aside.
2. Put all the ingredients (except the wine) into a deep pot. Add the dried prawns. Bring it to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes to bring out all the flavours and fragrance. Remove from heat to let it cool. Pour in the wine. Refrigerate for 3 hour until the brine turns cold.
3. Place the chicken maryland pieces on top of the ginger and spring onion. Transfer to a wok or steamer to steam for 15 minutes over high heat, or until it’s cooked through. I inserted a thermometer to test the thickest part of the chicken thigh. It reached 75C / 165F. Immediately transfer the chicken into the cold brine and soak for 3 hours in the fridge. Serve cold or slightly reheat the chicken if you like. Heat some oil until it almost releases smoke, pour over the minced ginger and spring onion. Serve on side. Enjoy!

Notes：

• According to the instructions from Hong Kong Center for Food Safety, The center of the thickest part of a poached chicken should reach at least 75C / 165F, whereas Australian government recommends at least 74C / 165F. When cutting the poached chicken, make sure that the juices are clear, without any blood inside. I found the traditional way to test with a needle or chopstick to poke through the thickest part with clear juice running out is not quite reliable. The recommended safety temperature is a little bit higher than that. The chicken meat is still tender though. No worries. It’s worth investing a thermometer for the sake of your family health safety.
• By soaking the chicken in the cold brine, the inner cooking will stop. Let it absorb all the flavours of the brine.
• You may cook the chicken in the brine directly instead of steaming for convenience. Also make sure the chicken is cooked through.
• All the spices are available at Asian grocers.

Read More

Steamed Chicken with Wood Ears and Dried Lily Buds

This classic Cantonese steamed chicken with wood ears and dried lily buds brings back fond memories of childhood comfort food. Delicate cloud ears and sweet lily buds soak up all the rich, savory juices, turning everyday ingredients into an exceptionally nourishing meal.

Cooking at home is a wonderful way to express care for your family while enjoying wholesome, high-quality living. By balancing savory seasonings with aromatic ginger and dried dates, this dish offers a quick, elegant, and deeply satisfying dinner with minimal prep.

Read More

Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry (Video)

Ever tried adding some crunchy cashews in your stir-fried dishes? I grew up with this traditional stir-fried dish, cashew chicken stir-fry. It’s good for a daily meal or even family gatherings. 

Cashews will add an interesting texture and make a contrast of the tender chicken meat. You can use any vegetables for the stir-fry instead of using celery. It’s very easy to make and flexible for you to add any vegetables you like.

In traditional Chinese cooking, cashews are often deep-fried in oil in order to make them crunchy. If you have an oven, simply bake them in an oven. Or pan-fry them in a pan without any oil. The result will be equally crunchy, and you can consume less oil.

As for chicken meat, I like using chicken thigh as the texture is good for stir-frying and the price is cheaper. You can use chicken breast if you want. It won't make any difference in taste.

Read More

Honey Balsamic Chicken Wings

Combining Chinese light soy sauce, Italian Balsamic vinegar, Thai Sriracha sauce and fragrant honey, this chicken wing dish is so flavoursome.

There are countless methods of cooking chicken wings. It could be Asian, Western or Asian-Western fusion ways.

No matter what way I use, I aim to get the best taste to feed my family. Combining Chinese light soy sauce, Italian Balsamic vinegar, Thai Sriracha sauce and fragrant honey, this chicken wing dish is so flavoursome.

Top left: Balsamic vinegar and honey.

The family didn’t want to waste a tiny drop of the honey-balsamic sauce on the plate.

Read More

Papaya and Chicken Feet Soup (Instant Pot + Stove Top Recipe)

Hope the chicken feet won’t scare you off. As a matter of fact, this soup is very tasty, as a result it earned its popularity in Chinese community. This soup is put on high priority on my menu as my family loves it so much.

When I first moved into Australia, I could ask for chicken feet for free from supermarkets because most Australian didn’t like chicken feet. So the staff would throw them away. They’re so glad that if you asked and would give you a large packet. Now a small amount of chicken feet costs quite expensive instead.

Read More

Stir Fried Shiitake Mushroom with Chicken

This stir fried Shiitake mushroom with chicken dish is so easy to make. The meaty texture of fresh shiitake mushrooms is very soft and smooth. It doesn’t take very long to be cooked through as the dried ones do. What will amaze you is that Shiitake mushrooms will take up all the flavours of the meat and sauce.

This time I used mirin, one of the common staples in Japanese cooking to make the sauce, with a bit of soy sauce. The whole chicken dish turned out very flavoursome. The chicken meat was just cooked through and retained a tender texture.

The highlight of the dish is the sauce that will make you don't want to waste a drop of it at all. This dish goes perfectly with a bowl of steamed rice.

Read More

Braised Chu Hou Chicken Wings (柱侯雞翼)

Finding balance between a busy schedule and enjoying quality meals at home can be effortless with the right approach. This Braised Chu Hou Chicken Wings recipe delivers authentic Cantonese flavors with minimal time and effort, making it an ideal choice for quality-conscious home cooks.

If you love the classic Hong Kong hot pot dish, stewed brisket with Chu Hou paste (柱侯牛腩) like me, you will like this braised chicken wings.

The rich, savory, and slightly sweet notes of fermented soybean Chu Hou paste perfectly coat every piece of chicken wing, creating a deeply satisfying dish that pairs exceptionally well with warm steamed rice. Cooking does not need to be complicated to be nourishing. By streamlining the cooking process into a 15-minute quick stir-fry and braise, this recipe preserves simple ingredients while ensuring a balanced meal with added fresh peppers and onions. Embracing everyday grace through shared meals allows us to slow down and appreciate life's quiet moments. Simplify your routine, cook efficiently, and dedicate your saved time to what matters most.

Read More

Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs (One-Pan Dish)

These chicken thighs were cooked with lemon, garlic and my favourite herds, rosemary and thyme. My kitchen was full of the fragrant smell, increasing the appetite of the whole family.

I’m getting to love one-pan dish more and more. It’s handy and save up energy to do cleaning up, just like one-plate dish.

The taste of one-pan dish won’t be comprised at all, still very delicious.

Read More

Lemon Job’s Tears Tea/Drink

This lemon Job’s tears tea is both appetizing and refreshing. I love its lemony aroma and mild natural sweetness, helping to lift up my spirit.

Job’s tears are traditionally used for ages in Chinese home cooking. It becomes a rising healthy star in the recent food scene. Not only it can help to improve indigestion, diarrhea, and trouble urinating, but also lower cholesterol and prevent cancer. More and more western people try to incorporate these tiny grains in drinks, salad or porridge.

Read More

Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry

How nice would it be when having a tasty dish of chicken curry with a bowl of hot rice?

Read More

Wood Ear and Chicken Soup

Wood ear is a kind of edible fungus often used in Chinese cooking. Wood ear is black in colour, so looks not quite appealing to eyes. Yet, we can’t underestimate its value to our health. It can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

I often use wood ear in my cooking, like Chinese New Year traditional dish, stir-fry with chicken, make the classic hot and sour soup and imitation shark fin soup.  If you feel like having a vegetarian dish, wood ear will work with many vegetables. You can make this Stir Fried Bean Sprouts, Carrots & Wood Ear Fungus dish. When I make dumplings, I also like putting in some wood ear to add a texture in the fillings. Ever thought about making san choi bao (lettuce wraps) with wood ears? They taste really good with roast duck meat too.

Read More

Bandit Chicken Wings (土匪雞翼)

This is a signature side dish of a popular noodle restaurant in Hong Kong, very well-known and loved by local people. Believe me, the taste of these Bandit chicken wings is wonderfully good.

I have no clue how this dish name came up. The word of “bandit” might put some people off to try. The soul of this dish is the spice, cumin, that makes all the baked chicken wings smell pleasantly and take the whole dish up a notch.

Read More

Asparagus, Chicken and Walnuts Stir Fry

Ever tried stir frying asparagus with walnuts? The crunchiness of walnuts and crisp asparagus stems are so enjoyable.

Asparagus is regarded as a classy vegetable and you have to pay more than other vegetables in restaurants. Lucky me, I’d find some fresh asparagus, available at a bargain price in supermarkets every now and then through out the year.

Read More

Braised Chicken with Radish

The sweetness of both radish and carrot makes the meat taste even better. If you like packing lunch for work or school, this dish is a great choice.

Radish is in season here. Price is crazily good, under 1 dollar per kilogram. They are beautiful, sweet and juicy, not like those taste bitter and with woody hearts.

In Chinese cooking, we often like to balance radish with carrot as radish brings cooling effect on our body in Chinese medicine's perspective.

I like the white and red colour combination too. The sweetness of both radish and carrot makes the meat taste even better. If you like packing lunch for work or school, this dish is a great choice.

Read More

Shaoxing Goji Chicken (花雕杞子雞煲)

Traditionally, this Shaoxing Goji Chicken is a claypot dish made in winter days. I reckon this dish can be enjoyed on any days throughout the year. It’s so tasty with splendid aroma, perfectly goes with steamed rice.

I like the colour contrast of this chicken dish. It’s so appealing to the family’s eyes. Once it’s served on our dining table, everyone was eager to dig in and taste.

Read More

Orange-Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings

These sticky and yummy wings made with Sriracha and honey are that you don't want to miss every bit of them.

I love cooking chicken wings. If you click to browse the recipe index, you’ll find many chicken wing dishes already posted on this blog. What I love about cooking wings is that they can be turned into many tasty dishes without any difficulty.

Read More

Baked Honey Lemon Chicken Drumsticks

What we loved about these baked chicken drumsticks is their juicy and succulent meat with tasty lemon and honey sauce.

No matter tucking in with our clean hands or knife and fork, we felt the finger lick'n drumsticks are so good.

To make this dish, either for your family or party finger food, it won’t be wrong at all. One side note, either thawed (if frozen) or fresh drumsticks can be used to make this delicious dish.

Read More

Malaysian Satay Chicken

The taste of this satay chicken is so authentic and wonderfully delicious. The recipe was from a friend who was a chef in Malaysia. How could it be?

We held a Hong Kong style BBQ party some time ago, grilling foods on charcoal. The Malaysian chef bought some marinated satay chicken to share with us.

Read More