Seafood Braised Chicken

Seafood Braised Chicken is a rich, savory classic Chinese home dish. Tender chicken stewed with fresh seafood, paired with soft vegetables and a thick, fragrant sauce. 

The savory chicken blends perfectly with natural seafood umami, creating a hearty, flavorful one-pot meal loved by the whole family.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

300g fresh chicken thighs

150g peeled shrimp

120g squid

80g shelled clams

Side Ingredients

Half an onion

1 potato

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

5 garlic cloves

3 slices of ginger

2 scallions

Seasonings

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon cooking wine

1 tsp rock sugar

A pinch of salt

White pepper powder

Cooking oil

A little starch water (for thickening)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep and marinate chicken

   Wash chicken thighs and cut into bite-sized chunks. Drain excess water, add cooking wine, a little salt and white pepper. Mix well and marinate for 15 minutes to remove odor and enhance tenderness.
2. Process seafood

   Peel and devein shrimp; clean squid and cut into strips. Rinse clams thoroughly to remove sand. Blanch all seafood in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain and set aside to reduce fishiness.
3. Prepare vegetables

   Peel potatoes and cut into chunks; slice onions, cut bell peppers into pieces. Mince garlic and ginger, chop scallions into sections for later use.
4. Sauté base aroma

   Heat cooking oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic and onion, stir-fry until fragrant and slightly caramelized.
5. Braise chicken

   Add marinated chicken chunks, stir-fry until the surface turns golden brown. Pour in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and oyster sauce, stir evenly to coat the chicken with sauce. Add potato pieces and hot water to cover all ingredients. Add rock sugar, bring to a boil, then turn to low heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add seafood and vegetables

   Put blanched shrimp, squid and clams into the pot. Add green and red bell peppers, continue to simmer on low heat for 5 minutes to fully blend the seafood and chicken flavor.
7. Thicken and finish

   Adjust salt to taste. Pour in a small amount of starch water, stir gently to thicken the soup. Turn off the heat, sprinkle with scallion sections, and serve hot in the pot.

Cooking Tips

1. Chicken thighs are more tender and juicy than breast meat, ideal for long braising.
2. Seafood should not be cooked too long to avoid tough meat and lost umami.
3. Adding a small piece of rock sugar can balance the savory taste and brighten the dish color.
4. Keep the heat steady during slow braising to ensure the chicken is soft and easy to chew.
5. You can add mushrooms or tofu to enrich the taste and layers.

Stir-Fried Rice Cakes with Shrimp and Crab

 Stir-fried rice cakes with shrimp and crab is a delicious and hearty Chinese savory dish, popular in eastern China.

 Chewy soft rice cakes are stir-fried with plump shrimp, fresh crab meat and seasonal vegetables, coated in a rich savory sauce.

 It has a bouncy, tender texture, strong seafood aroma and balanced umami flavor, suitable for daily meals and festival feasts.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

250g fresh rice cakes

180g peeled shrimp

1 whole fresh crab or 150g crab meat

Auxiliary Ingredients

2 eggs

half onion

1 small carrot

a few green vegetables

3 garlic cloves

2 slices ginger

2 stalks scallions

Seasonings

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

half teaspoon dark soy sauce (for coloring)

a pinch of salt

a little white sugar

white pepper powder

cooking wine

cooking oil

a little starch water

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep raw materials

   Rinse the rice cakes and soak them in warm water for 10 minutes to soften and prevent sticking. Peel and devein shrimp, rinse clean and pat dry. Clean the crab, remove the shell and gills, then cut into pieces or take out crab meat. Dice onion, shred carrot, chop garlic and ginger, and cut scallions into sections. Beat the eggs and set aside.
2. Marinate seafood

   Put shrimp and crab pieces in a bowl, add a little cooking wine, white pepper and a pinch of salt. Mix well and marinate for 10 minutes to remove fishy smell and enhance fresh flavor.
3. Fry eggs and seafood

   Heat oil in a wok over medium heat, pour in the egg liquid and scramble into pieces, then take out for later use. Add a little more oil, put in marinated shrimp and crab, stir-fry quickly until they change color and are half-cooked, then scoop out and reserve.
4. Sauté aromatics and vegetables

   Leave base oil in the wok, add ginger, garlic and onion, stir-fry until fragrant. Add carrot strips and green vegetables, stir-fry for 1 minute until slightly tender.
5. Stir-fry rice cakes

   Add softened rice cakes into the wok, stir continuously over medium heat to avoid sticking. Drizzle with light soy sauce and dark soy sauce, stir evenly to let each rice cake absorb the sauce and turn light brown.
6. Combine and season

   Put the fried seafood and scrambled eggs back into the wok. Add oyster sauce, a little sugar and appropriate salt. Stir all ingredients evenly and simmer for 2–3 minutes on low heat. Thicken slightly with starch water to make the sauce wrap tightly around the rice cakes.
7. Finish and serve

   Sprinkle with scallion sections and a little white pepper, stir well and turn off the heat. Transfer to a plate and serve hot.

Cooking Tips

1. Soaking rice cakes in advance can effectively avoid breaking and sticking during stir-frying.
2. Do not overcook shrimp and crab to keep the meat tender and bouncy.
3. The seasoning should be light to highlight the natural umami of seafood.
4. You can add a little chili or pickled vegetables if you like a richer taste.
5. Stir continuously throughout the process to prevent rice cakes from sticking to the wok.