Ingredients

  • You will need a casserole dish that can go from stove to over (Le Cruset)
  • 4 plump free range chicken thighs, skin removed
  • 5 fl oz Shaosing (Chinese brown rice wine)
  • 3 fl oz soy sauce
  • 1 heaped teaspoon, peeled, grated fresh ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 5 whole star anise
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • To garnish:
  • 1 small red chili, deseeded and cut into fine shreads
  • 1 spring onion, cut into fine shreds
  • To serve:
  • Cooked rice (sticky white is my favorite)

Method

  • Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place skinned chicken thighs in a casserole dish.
  • Mix together the remaining ingredients (rice wine, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, anise & sesame oil) and 2 fl oz of water in a bowl and pour this over the chicken.
  • Place the casserole over a medium heat and bring liquid to a boil.
  • Now transfer to the preheated oven (no need to cover) and bake on center shelf for 30 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through the cooking time.
  • Serve the cooked chicken on a bed of plain rice with the sauce poured over and the shreds of chili and spring onion sprinkled on top.