Shanxi Vinegar-Marinated Chicken
陈醋拌鸡块
English: Shanxi Vinegar-Marinated Chicken
Chinese: 陈醋拌鸡块
Pinyin： chéncù bàn jī kuài
Literal: Vinegar mixed chicken pieces
There are two main types of black vinegar in China: Shanxi black vinegar ((山西老陈醋) and Zhenjiang (or Zhejiang) black vinegar (镇江香醋), both distinct from each other. Shanxi vinegar from the North is rich and punchy with a complex malty, almost smoky aroma. Sorghum, barley and peas are fermented for three years in clay pots as they have been for thousands of years. Zhenjiang vinegar is usually made from rice and given six months to sit, resulting in a lighter and delicate vinegar.
In Shanxi, black vinegar is splashed into hundreds of dishes, a bottle never far from hand. Shanxi cooks are obsessed with their local vinegar, using it to stir-fry, braise, drizzle, dip and toss. If that wasn’t enough, there’s often a bottle on the table, for those that need that extra kick.
Cold Chicken in Vinegar Sauce (陈醋拌鸡块) follows the 拌 (bàn) technique, which means "tossing" or “mixing”. This is a common method for cold dishes, where cooked ingredients (in this case, poached chicken) are mixed with seasonings and sauces without further heating. After a few hours of marinating, the vinegar transforms the poached chicken. Each bite delivers a balance of tangy brightness and savoury depth, the aged vinegar soaking deep into the succulent meat. It’s always served cool, and somehow for a meat dish, manages to be refreshing and juicy, both bold and subtle at the same time.
Serves 4
Ingredients
To poach
500g bone-in chicken (like thighs or drumsticks)
3 slices ginger
2 spring onion, cut into sections
2 tsp salt
For the sauce
3 tbsp Shanxi aged black vinegar (老陈醋)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
½ teaspoon chilli oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
To garnish
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
A handful fresh coriander, chopped
Method
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the chicken, ginger slices, spring onion and salt. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. Skim off any foam that forms.
Remove the chicken and let it cool to room temperature. You can speed this up by placing it in a bowl of ice water for 5–10 minutes. Once cooled, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, keeping the bone-in pieces for extra flavour.
Make the sauce. In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust — it should be tangy, savoury, and a little sweet.
Place the cooled chicken pieces into a large bowl. Pour the sauce over and toss gentle to coat everything evenly. Pour into a smaller bowl so the chicken is mostly submerged in the vinegar sauce. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but the longer the better.
Remove from the fridge, serve in the bowl or remove onto a plate if you want to a nicer presentation. Sprinkle with the chopped spring onion, sesame seeds and coriander right before serving. Enjoy it cold or at room temperature.
