Trini-Chinese Chicken

Chinese-style chicken is a dish you can find all over Trinidad and within the diaspora that has followed the nation’s emergence from British rule. The skin is fried into a lacquered mahogany. The meat beneath it tastes of five-spice, ginger and soy and is generally accompanied by a hum of oyster sauce mixed with the zing of the pickled Scotch-bonnet-pepper sauce that is seemingly omnipresent on the island’s tables.

Ingredients

• 8 to 10 chicken thighs, legs and wings, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds total
• 2 tablespoons five-spice powder
• 3 limes
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 2-inch knob ginger root, peeled and minced
• ½ cup neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• ½ cup oyster sauce
• 1 to 3 tablespoons Scotch-bonnet-pepper sauce, ideally Matouk’s Soca, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup chopped scallions, for garnish.

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    1396 calories; 113 grams fat; 24 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 52 grams monounsaturated fat; 27 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 80 grams protein; 463 milligrams cholesterol; 2201 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Serves 4 to 6

Preparation

1. In a large, nonreactive bowl, toss the chicken with five-spice powder, then with the juice of 2 of the limes, the soy sauce and the ginger. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
2. Heat oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat. There should be at least 1/4 inch of oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip back into the bowl, and fry, in batches if necessary to not crowd the pan, turning the pieces frequently, until well browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. Combine oyster sauce, a tablespoon of the Scotch-bonnet-pepper sauce and the juice of the remaining lime and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings with more hot sauce, lime juice and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
4. Garnish with scallions and serve with white or fried rice, with a drizzle of the sauce over each piece of chicken and the remaining sauce on the side.