This beer-braised chicken with Sriracha is my Asian take on a French classic, coq à la bière. In Alsace, chicken and onions gets braised in a nutty brown ale until meltingly tender; I decided to apply the same cooking methods for this dish. Adding Sriracha hot sauce, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil enhances the mild sweetness and nuttiness of the braising liquid. This is perfect hearty dish for cold winter nights!
One of the first dinners I made in my first Park Slope apartment two years ago was this beer-braised chicken. It was November, and unseasonably frigid weather and cold gusts of wind outside made I crave something meaty, hearty, and comforting. Spiciness was a bonus.
Inspired both by coq à la bière and a Martin Yan recipe for beer-braised duck, I wanted to make a braised chicken with brown ale and Sriracha. I needed a robust sort of beer to withstand the Sriracha that will go in my sauce, so I stopped in Biercraft on 5th Ave., a little wonderland of craft beers. The guy behind the counter recommended Avery Brewing Co.’s Ellie’s Brown Ale, which has a lot of nuttiness, sweetness, and chocolate malt character. And, he added, it won’t become bitter when boiled down like some other brown ales. Turns out, it’s also great for sipping while you prepare the chicken.
The suggested amounts of Sriracha will result in a mildy spicy dish, which I like because the other flavors don’t get overwhelmed. And the method to making this is similar to that for my other braised chicken dishes like Chicken Adobo and Vietnamese Chicken Curry: searing until the skin is crisp and golden, then braising until very tender. It’s an easy way to get your kitchen (and maybe even your entire apartment) nice and toasty, even as temperatures drop and winds howl outside.
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Beer-Braised Chicken with Sriracha
Serves 4
- 2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks with skin
- 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
- 2 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
- 8 cremini mushrooms, stems discarded and caps quartered
- 1/2 teaspoon white sesame seeds
Sauce:
- 1 cup dark brown ale (preferably a nutty one with a good amount of sweetness)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 to 3 teaspoons Sriracha
- 1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- With a paper towel, pat the excess moisture from the chicken on all sides (otherwise, watch out for splattering oil when you sear the meat.)
- In a Dutch oven, pot, or large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the chicken skin-side down until the skin is light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Mix together the ingredients for the sauce. Return the chicken to the pot and pour the sauce over the chicken. Add the scallion whites and mushrooms. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and allow everything to simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and the sauce is slightly thickened.
- Carefully transfer everything to a large serving dish and sprinkle the sesame seeds and scallion greens on top. Serve hot with rice or vegetables on the side.
looks so gorgeous.
Congratulations on the new apartment! I moved as much as you did, and in the last one I moved in, I finally have a dishwasher for the first time in years. On the other hand, I just found out that third floor without lift can turn into a huge nuisance if you happen to twist your knee…
This recipe looks really inviting and easy.
I just moved about 2 months ago – had to find an apartment in less than 3 weeks, so I do understand so very well about places ‘passing the test’! I now have a beautiful place with a kitchen that has -space- in it, it’s affordable, and I have great housemates, even better.
That chicken looks wonderful. I may just have to try it next week.
Oh, and just to let you know, the chicken-apple filling for your dumplings was -perfect-. I turned ‘em into sausage patties, and put them into a lentil stew with spinach and potatoes. I wrote about it here and linked to your recipe too as it was -so- good!
http://glutenfreechaboh.blogspot.com/2010/11/of-cookies-stews-and-salads.html
Thank you so much for all the wonderful recipes!
–Shuku
Shuku – Oh, wonderful! I’m so glad you were able to adapt the chicken and apple filling to suit your meal. Your lentil stew sounds delicious.
Caffettiera – Thank you! I also live on a third floor walk-up, so hopefully there will be no twisting of any knees or ankles in the near future. And I just checked out your blog…the photos are great!
As a complete ignoramus on the subject of Chinese food (I only know how to eat dim sum)Can you explain what Sriracha is?
It’s an Asian hot sauce made with chilis, vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar. Here’s some more info on it: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/20united.html
i personally consider eating dim sum an art unto itself, so you can’t be a total ignoramus! :)
now if you only knew chinese take-out…
Hi Dina, I was thinking of making this tonight but I don’t keep sherry and I’m not interested in buying a bottle just for 1 tablespoons use. Is there anything else I can use as an alternative?
Leigh – You can use Chinese rice wine as a substitute, which I’ll also add to the original recipe. In a pinch you can also use mirin or a dry white wine; the little bit of added sweetness won’t be very noticeable in this dish because it’s a braise.
thanks Diana!
Thanks for the recipe. It came out great.
Thanks for the recipe. It came out great.
Now the choice, do I make these or the vietnamese braised chicken thighs again? These are the things that keep me up at night.
Tim – I know…decisions! I make braised chicken very often and it’s always hard to decide which method to go for. When it doubt, do both in a week!
Hi Diana,
Thanks for the recipe! It looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it. :)
I’m a little confused and wanted to clarify–after pouring the sauce over the chicken, do you put the sauce-covered chicken in the pan (with remaining sauce) and then simmer for 20-25 mins?
I want to make this/ eat this immediately! It sounds heavenly and the photo is gorgeous! Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and are well! x
Gem – Thanks for your comment! You actually return the chicken to the pan, then pour the sauce over it. I edited the recipe to make this clearer. Hope that helps and let me know how it goes!
Kasey – Thank you! Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving as well and congrats on the latest press for TK!