Dezhou braised chicken

Method

1. 1 Fold the chicken's legs towards its belly and tuck its wings behind its head so that the whole chicken forms a compact shape.
2. 2 Fry the whole fish in oil at 180 degrees for 5 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy.
3. 3 Simmer over the lowest heat for 2 hours and 30 minutes in soy sauce with cinnamon, star anise, five-spice powder, and orange peel.
4. 4 Simmer for a full 2 hours and 30 minutes until the meat separates from the bone when gently shaken; this is a sign of authentic Duc Chau chicken.
5. 5 Do not stir or flip the chicken in the pot; simply ladle the broth over it every 20 minutes.
6. 6 Let it cool in the braising liquid, then remove it; the meat should slide off the bone when picked up with chopsticks.

With an appliance

• Pressure cooker 1 hr 40 min

  Replace step 3: Incubate under high pressure for 40 minutes, then release the pressure naturally and let it cool in the incubation water.