Ginger Chilli Sweet and Sour Chicken

I have just bought Annabel Langbein's 'Free Range In The City'. I suspect that her recipes are going to feature heavily over the next few weeks.

This chicken dish was the first one I tried and it got the best responses I have had in a long time from the family. This will get made again...and again.

It was easy to make and what I especially liked was that it could be partially prepared in advance then finished off later.
I browned the chicken, caramelised the sugar and vinegar and then put eh rest of the ingredients in, then the chicken.
I did the main cooking later.




Ginger Chilli Sweet and Sour Chicken
4 chicken marylands (thigh quarters) or 1 whole free range chicken quartered (I just used big pieces)
salt and ground black pepper
2 tsp of neutral oil
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp while vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1/2 cup while wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (or more to taste) (I used a whole one and it was still really mild)
1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
2 fat cloves of garlic crushed
1 tbsp fish sauce

To garnish
neutral oil, for frying
small handful of mint, basil or vietnamese mint leaves

To serve

cooked rive 

lightly cooked greens

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large cast iron baking dish and brown chicken all over, working in batches so as not to over crowd the pan. Remove chicken and set aside.

Drain oil from the pan, add sugar and vinegar and cook over a high heat until mixture starts to caramelise. Add wine, stock, chilli, ginger, garlic and fish sauce. Bring to a boil ten return chicken to dish and cover with juices.

Bake uncovered, basting several times (this is really important) with the cooking liquids, until chicken is golden and fully cooked  (about 35-40 minutes) 

While chicken is baking, prepare the fried herb garnish, if using. Heat 2 cm oil in small pot until it shimmers and fry herb until the change colour (about 5-10 seconds). Lift out with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Serve chicken with rice and lightly cooked greens, with any remaining cooking liquids spooned one rth stop. Garnish with fried herbs, if using.