This braised chicken with shiitake mushrooms is a simple classic Chinese home cooking dish. The highly umami flavour of shiitake mushrooms is the basis of Chinese and other Asian cooking. For my gluten free braised chicken with shiitake mushrooms recipe, my main ingredients are skinless and boneless chicken thighs. Braised with shiitake mushrooms in an aromatic sauce. Made with garlic, ginger, gluten free kecap manis, salt, cloves and star anise. This braised chicken with shiitake mushrooms recipe is not only gluten free. But also dairy free, nut free, egg free and low carb.
You may like my other gluten free shiitake mushrooms recipes:
- Braised Chicken and Hard Boiled Eggs with Mushrooms;
- Chicken and Shiitake Mushrooms Rice;
- Braised Beef with Shiitake Mushrooms and Black Fungus;
- Steamed Whole Fish with Shiitake Mushrooms & Goji Berries; and
- Asian Mushrooms and Vegetables Stir-Fry Noodles.
What are Shiitake Mushrooms?
Many people often refer to shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) as edible mushrooms. Likewise, they also consider them as a decaying fungus grown in the wild. And shiitake mushrooms have originated from China and Asia, dated all the way back for thousands of years. In addition, practitioners also highly value them for their medicinal properties in traditional Chinese medicine and other Asian medicinal traditions.
Culinary Versatility of Shiitake Mushrooms
Whenever I use shiitake mushrooms in my daily cooking, they remind me of my mum’s delicious home cooked meals. She often include shiitake mushrooms in soups, stews, stir frys and even steamed dishes. Dried shiitake mushrooms will not only make any dish delicious, it is extremely healthy as well. I like to use shiitake mushrooms in many different dishes. Including Chinese glutinous rice, chicken and shiitake mushrooms rice, stir frys, soups, stews and dumplings. As well as steamed dishes like steamed fish or chicken. The options in preparing Asian cuisines using shiitake mushrooms are endless.
Nutritional Values and Health Benefits of Shiitake Mushrooms
Similar to all fungi, shiitake mushrooms contain phytonutrients. Mainly their famous polysaccharides, particularly lentinan that helps support our immune system. By helping to combat diseases and infection and prevent or reduce tumour growth. Eritadenine also helps in reducing cholesterol and maintain cardiovascular health. Similarly, shiitake mushrooms are also superb sources of essential nutrients like copper, zinc and selenium. Plus vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), and vitamin B2 (riboflavin). A decent source of dietary fiber, manganese, vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin D. Lastly, shiitake mushrooms are a good source of iron and antioxidants.
Braised Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg skinless and boneless chicken thighs trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 12 dried shiitake mushrooms soak in hot water for 30 mins. Stalks removed and cut into quarters
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2½ inch ginger peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 star anise
- 5 cloves
- steamed brown rice or steamed basmati rice to serve
For the sauce:
- 5 tablespoons gluten free kecap manis
- 2 tablespoons medium dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons water
For the Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon gluten free light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon medium dry sherry
- 1 ½ teaspoons corn starch or potato starch
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
For the garnish:
- 2 spring onions finely sliced lengthwise
Instructions
- Combine chicken with marinade in a large bowl and mix well. Reserve for about 20 minutes.
- Prepare and mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Heat up a wok with 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and stir-fry the garlic and ginger on low heat until lightly golden.
- Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for 5 minutes on medium to high heat. Then add the mushrooms, the sauce prepared, star anise and cloves and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to low, cover with lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
- Serve with steamed brown rice or basmati rice.
