Braised chicken in shacha sauce (沙茶鸡), Fujian style

Last Updated on April 6, 2021 by Simon Fan

Although little known outside the country, the food of Fujian Province is one of the best among the regional cuisines in China.

Fujian cuisine uses a wide array of herbs and seasonings to flavor their food, which means it’s always aromatic and intriguing. The use of braising and stewing techniques in their cooking creates complex and nuanced flavors that are at once rich, robust, light, and refined.

Over the last few centuries, Chinese immigrants from Fujian Province also introduced their cooking to Southeast Asia. Some of their dishes, such as lumpia and popiah, are now ubiquitous in the region.

And culinary influences worked both ways. The expatriate Chinese returning home also brought back recipes from the region. A great example is shacha sauce.

Shacha sauce (沙茶酱), also known as sacha sauce, has its origin in satay sauce widely used in Southeast Asia. However, the Fujianese adapted the sauce to make it uniquely their own. The list of ingredients used for shacha sauce is long and typically includes soybean oil, dried brill fish, dried shrimp, shallots, garlic, peanuts, sesame seeds, spices, chilies, salt, and sugar. The result is an umami-rich and intensely aromatic sauce, with a hint of spiciness and sweetness.

Although shacha sauce can be made at home, there are good ready-to-use options available from Lee Kun Kee and Bull Head (labeled as barbeque sauce). You can use shacha sauce as a seasoning to flavor dishes with meat, seafood, or vegetables, or as a base for soups or dipping sauces.

The dish featured here, braised chicken in shacha sauce (沙茶鸡), is one of the iconic dishes from Fujian. Try it and you’ll be amazed by the magic of shacha sauce.

Braised chicken in shacha sauce (沙茶鸡), Fujian style

Serves 2

Ingredients

20 oz (570 g) chicken drumsticks (bone-in, skin-on), or any chicken parts of your choice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced
2 scallions, white parts cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces and green parts cut diagonally into thin slices
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons shacha sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee’s sa cha sauce or Bull Head’s barbeque sauce)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
5 dried shiitake mushrooms
1½ cups (360 ml) water
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Directions

1. Cut each chicken drumstick crosswise through the bone into 3 pieces. Place a wok or skillet over high heat until hot, then swirl in the oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken pieces and sear until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer them to a plate.
2. To the same wok with the remaining oil over medium-high heat, add the onion, scallion whites, and ginger, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the shacha sauce and wine, and stir and mix for 30 seconds.
3. Return the chicken to the wok. Add the shiitake mushrooms, water, salt, and sugar. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook, skimming off surface scum from time to time, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
4. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with the scallion greens.