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Braised Chicken Wings Shanghai-Style feature velveting, meat-off -the bone chicken wings braised in a savory sauce. A naturally delicious chicken wing dish using simple healthy ingredients such as superfood arrowroot flour (in lieu of starch), ginger, and green onions. I am going to share all the tips and tricks you need to know to make this quick and easy in under 30 minutes from start to finish.

Braised Chicken Wings Ingredients:

Chicken Wings – either the first or second sections of the wings are fine.
Arrowroot flour – Arrowroot flour is my go-to superfood gluten-free starch. It serves as the coating when we pan fry chicken wings first. It is also the secret behind the velveting chicken wings.
Green Onions and Gingers – Two delicious and healthy spices I almost use every day.
Cooking Oil – Avocado oil is one of my primary go-to cooking oils, other than olive oil.
Braising Sauce – Shaoxing Wine, Natural Soy Sauce (or dark soy sauce), Light Soy Sauce, Zhenjiang Vinegar, and Sugar in the Raw. Together they formulate this savory sauce with a hint of sourness and sweetness.
Garnishing – Fresh crunchy celery complements chicken wings very well. It provides contrast in color, taste, and texture.
How to make Braised Chicken Wings easy, delicious, and healthy?
See the Recipe for a detailed step-by-step tutorial. Here are the essential tips and tricks:
The first is to prepare chicken wings and other ingredients
For frozen chicken wings, thaw them thoroughly inside the fridge in advance. Then wash and rinse well and pat dry.
Wash and rinse celery, green onions, and ginger well. Slice celery into about 2-inch long julienne thin cuts. Cut green onions into small pieces. Slice and dice ginger into small pieces.

Add natural soy sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, Zhenjiang vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl, mix well and set aside.
The second is to Pan Fry and Sear the Chicken Wings
Turn the heat to medium and heat a hard-anodized fry pan for 2 minutes.
While waiting, place the chicken wings in a large mixing bowl and add 1/4 cup of arrowroot flour. Use a pair of bamboo spatulas to toss and mix well and set it aside.
Add avocado oil, and use a mini heat-resistant rubber spatula to disperse it.

Add green onions and ginger into the pan, and then lay the chicken wings flat on the frying pan.
Let it cook for 3 minutes and flip the chicken wings using a pair of cooking chopsticks or kitchen tongs. Cook the other side for 2 minutes.

The third is to braise the chicken wings with sauce
Pour the sauce from the small bowl onto the chicken wings in a circular motion. Use a flexible slotter to fold and turn for about 15 seconds and then pour in 1 cup of water around the edge of the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.

The last is to add celery and stir fry for 3-5 minutes
Remove the lid, add celery and stir fry using a slotted turner using fold motion for 3-5 minutes. You shall see the sauce gets thickened and chicken wings become velveting.

All done! Enjoy these healthy yummy chicken wings.

This recipe was inspired by the classic Shanghai-style Braised Pork Chops. If you like this sauce and pork chops, make sure you check it out.

Like chicken? Check out my other healthy, delicious chicken recipes:
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Orange Chicken {Better than Takeout}
- Basil Black Pepper Chicken
- Basil Soy Sauce Chicken with Carrots

Braised Chicken Wings Shanghai Style Recipe
Braised Chicken Wings feature velvet meat-off -the bone chicken wings braised in a savory sauce. A naturally delicious chicken wing dish using simple healthy ingredients such as superfood arrowroot flour, ginger, and green onions.
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken wings, about 14 pcs
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
- A small piece of ginger, about 10 g, thin sliced, organic preferred
- 1 green onion stalk
- 2 celery stems, about 110 g
For the Braising Sauce:
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 3 tbsp natural aged soy sauce, or dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Zhenjiang vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp turbinado sugar, also known as "sugar in the raw" or cane sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Prepare Chicken Wings and Other Ingredients:
- For frozen chicken wings, thaw them thoroughly inside the fridge in advance. Then wash and rinse well and pat dry.
- Wash and rinse celery, green onions, and ginger well. Slice celery into about 2-inch long julienne thin cuts. Cut green onions into small pieces. Slice and dice ginger into small pieces.
- Make the Braising Sauce: Add naturally aged soy sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, Zhenjiang vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl, mix well, and set aside.
Pan Fry and Sear the Chicken Wings:
- Turn the heat to medium and heat a hard-anodized fry pan for 1 minute.
- While waiting, place the chicken wings in a large mixing bowl, add the arrowroot flour. Toss and mix well using a pair of bamboo spatulas.
- Add avocado oil, and use a mini heat-resistant silicone spatula to disperse it.
- Add green onions and ginger into the pan, lay the chicken wings flat on the pan, and let it cook for 3 minutes.
- Flip the wings using a pair of cooking chopsticks or kitchen tongs and cook for additional 2 minutes.
- Mix the braising sauce quickly again and then pour into the pan in a circular motion. Use the slotted turner to fold and mix well and then pour in the 1 cup of water around the edge of the pan.
- Use the slotted turner to move the chicken wings around to make sure the water is evenly distributed on the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan with the lid and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid, add celery and fold and turn using the slotted turner for 3- 5 minutes or till sauce is thickened and and chicken wings become velveting.
- All done! Enjoy these healthy yummy chicken wings.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount of commission from the qualifying purchases.
- Small Silicone Spatulas
- OXO Good Grips 3- Piece Mixing Bowl Set
- KitchenAid Classic Slotted Turner, One Size, Black
- Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan
- Arrowroot Flour
- Avocado Oil
- Zhenjiang Vinegar
- Shaoxing Wine
- Light Soy Sauce
- Wan Ja Shan Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce (2 Pack, Total of 33.8fl.oz)
- Dark Soy Sauce
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 905Total Fat 66gSaturated Fat 21gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 40gCholesterol 186mgSodium 2068mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 2gSugar 5gProtein 40g
Nutrition calculation is provided by Nutritionix to the best knowledge per ingredients description and isn't always accurate.
1 comment
So a delicious dish even though I haven’t tasted. I believe that by tasting, I will consume four servings by myself…….