This is served cold and can be eaten as an appetizer or part of the main course.

I made this several times using different concentrations of alcohol.  I tried shaoxing cooking wine, shaoxing cooking wine with 14% alcohol, and whiskey (40% alcohol).  In my opinion, the 14% shaoxing cooking wine was the best choice (strong enough to come through in the meat and not too strong like the whiskey was).  I’ve also found that it’s important to make the chicken noticeably salty (without overdoing it) to compliment the bitterness of the alcohol.

[I just found a recipe for Chinese drunken chicken served hot in a broth that uses mirin.  I can’t wait to try it.  I have a feeling it will taste even better than cold drunken chicken.]

Note that I prefer my chicken to be JUST cooked through so I’ve adjusted the cooking time in the recipe (to 12 minutes) for those of you who prefer your chicken a bit more well done than this.

Cold Drunken Chicken Recipe

8 chicken thighs or drumsticks, skin on and bone in

3 stalks green onions, cut into 2 inch long pieces

6 thin slices ginger

2 cups shaoxing wine (best brand is Pagoda, 14% alcohol)

2 tbsp oyster sauce

5 tbsp soy sauce

coarse salt

pinch of granulated white sugar

Generously sprinkle salt all over the chicken pieces.  Marinate with the green onions, ginger and 1 cup shaoxing wine for at least 30 minutes.  Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.  Add the chicken pieces along with the marinade and bring back to a boil.  Reduce the heat slightly, and maintain a boil for 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through.  Do not overcook.  Remove the chicken from the boiling water and place them in a heatproof bowl.  Add 1 cup of shaoxing wine, the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and 3 tbsp coarse salt.  Then add 2 or 3 cups of the poaching liquid until the chicken is just covered.

Once the liquid has cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.  The sauce will become gelatin.  With a cleaver, chop the thighs into 2 or 3 pieces crosswise and serve cold with rice.