Pressure Cooker Chicken is a delicious and traditional famous dish, belonging to the classic dishes of Shandong cuisine. In terms of appearance, Pressure Cooker Chicken presents an enticing golden color, with neatly arranged chicken pieces in the pot, accompanied by rich seasonings and vegetables, creating a colorful and mouth-watering dish. In terms of texture, the chicken is tender and juicy. Through the cooking process in a pressure cooker, the chicken becomes more flavorful and has a delicious and tender texture. This dish has a long history and dates back to ancient times with similar cooking methods. The modern recipe for Pressure Cooker Chicken has been continuously improved and perfected and has become a beloved favorite. In terms of nutritional value, chicken is rich in high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, which are important for promoting good health.
Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Chicken:
| Chicken | 600g |
| Green onion | 5g |
| Ginger | 5g |
| Star anise | 3g |
| Fragrant leaves | 2g |
| Oyster sauce | 3g |
| Light soy sauce | 6g |
| Cooking wine | 5g |
| Scallion | 5g |
| Coriander | 6g |
| Dried chilli | 8g |
| Bean paste | 3g |
| Soybean paste | 3g |
| Seafood sauce | 3g |
| Spare rib sauce | 3g |
| Thirteen-spices | 4g |
Steps:
1.To begin, select a fresh chicken and thoroughly clean it, making sure to remove the innards and any unwanted parts. Cut the chicken into large pieces according to your preference, such as legs, wings, and breast meat. Place the cut chicken pieces in a wide-mouthed bowl, ensuring that the bowl is large enough to accommodate all the chicken pieces.
2.Take a fresh large scallion and slice it. You can choose to cut it diagonally or straight, adjusting the cutting style to your liking. Place the sliced scallions in a separate bowl. Next, prepare a piece of fresh ginger. Peel the ginger and thinly slice it, ensuring the slices are thin to release the fragrant aroma and flavor. Place the sliced ginger in the same bowl. Prepare star anise, fragrant leaves, and dried chilli. Star anise provides a distinctive fragrance, while fragrant leaves and dried chilli add flavor to the dish. Add an appropriate amount of star anise, fragrant leaves, and dried chilli to the bowl along with the scallions and ginger.
3.Prepare a small bowl and add a tablespoon of bean paste. Bean paste is a seasoning made from fermented soybeans, chili peppers, and other ingredients, providing a rich spicy flavor and aroma. Next, add a tablespoon of soybean paste. Soybean paste is made from fermented soybeans and offers a deep savory taste and a delicious texture to the dish. Then, add a tablespoon of oyster sauce. Oyster sauce is a condiment primarily made from oysters, providing a delightful seafood flavor and enhancing the richness of the dish. Following that, add a tablespoon of seafood sauce. Seafood sauce is made from various seafood ingredients, adding a rich seafood flavor and a savory taste to the dish. Add a tablespoon of spare rib sauce.Spare rib sauce is a condiment made primarily from pork, providing a rich pork aroma and a savory taste to the dish. Then, add two tablespoons of light soy sauce. Light soy sauce is a soy sauce made from soybeans, having a light yellow color and a fresh salty taste, which adds delicious flavor to the dish. Finally, sprinkle some thirteen spices. Thirteen spices is a seasoning composed of various spices, including Sichuan pepper, star anise, and cinnamon bark, which brings a rich aroma and complex taste to the dish. After placing all the seasonings in the small bowl, stir them well with a spoon or chopsticks, ensuring that all the seasonings are fully blended.
4.Add a small amount of cooking oil to the pot and wait for it to heat up. Once the oil is hot, add the prepared chicken pieces to the pot and stir-fry continuously. This will help sear the surface of the chicken, remove any fishy smell, and enhance the aroma. Use a spatula or chopsticks to constantly flip the chicken pieces, ensuring they are evenly heated. Next, add the sliced green onions, ginger, and dry spices such as star anise to the pot. Stir well to mix them thoroughly with the chicken. The green onions, ginger, and dry spices will add additional fragrance and depth to the dish. After stirring for a few minutes, pour in the pre-mixed sauce. Stir-fry in the pot, allowing the chicken to fully absorb the flavors and aromas of the seasoning. Then, add a spoonful of water and a little cooking wine to the pot. Continue stir-frying to thoroughly mix the chicken with the seasoning. The water helps keep the dish moist, while the cooking wine adds freshness and helps eliminate any unwanted odors. Continue stir-frying until the chicken pieces are evenly colored and the seasonings and juices have fully penetrated the meat.
5.After thorough stir-frying, lift the pot from the stove and transfer the cooked chicken to a pressure cooker. Cover the pressure cooker tightly with its lid to ensure a tight seal, preventing the steam and heat from escaping. Next, adjust the heat of the pressure cooker and heat it to high temperature. Once it reaches high temperature, start timing for 20 minutes. During the pressure cooking process, the steam inside the pressure cooker will penetrate the chicken, making it tender and flavorful quickly. At the same time, the seasonings and juices will also blend better into the chicken, adding rich flavors. Note that when cooking in a pressure cooker, be cautious and follow the instructions to ensure safety.
6.After 20 minutes, gradually release the steam and open the pressure cooker lid according to the instructions. Take a scallion and cut it into small pieces for garnish. The chopped scallion adds color and aroma to the dish. Then, prepare some coriander and cut it into sections. Coriander has a unique fresh fragrance that adds an extra flavor to the dish. Sprinkle the chopped scallions and coriander into the pressure cooker, then gently stir to evenly distribute them over the stewed chicken. Now, the whole cooking process is complete, and you can plate the braised chicken. This dish features tender and juicy chicken with rich flavors and aromas. While enjoying the delicious food, appreciate the labor and love that went into making it.
Tips:
1.Cut the chicken into evenly sized chunks to ensure even heating during pressure cooking and to avoid undercooked or overcooked portions.
2.Before starting the pressure cooker, stir-fry the ingredients in the pot evenly. This will help the ingredients absorb the seasonings better. During the pressure cooking process, control the heat well to avoid cooking for too long or too short a time, ensuring the chicken reaches the desired texture.
Pressure cooker chicken is highly regarded for its unique cooking method and delicious taste. The star of this dish is fresh chicken, which is marinated carefully to enhance its flavor. After frying, the chicken has a crispy golden skin while remaining tender on the inside. Finally, using a pressure cooker allows the seasonings to fully merge with the chicken, resulting in a richer flavor. Pressure cooker chicken is not only delicious but also nutritious. Chicken is a great source of high-quality protein and contains abundant vitamins and minerals, which can improve physical strength and boost immunity. This dish, cooked using a pressure cooker, retains the nutritional value of the ingredients while imparting a unique texture and flavor.