Gently Braised Garlic Chicken

Sorry for the late post today as I've been working in London and am grateful for Mr Branson's Wi Fi connection.  Anyway, we're still having fun with Oriental food with this aromatic chicken dish that is quick to make and has relatively few ingredients.  Don't let the amount of garlic freak you out as it becomes sweet and fragrant as it braises.

Ingredients
900g chicken thighs with bone in
2 teasp salt
1 teasp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
15 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or raid the sherry
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp chicken stock or water
2 tbsp snipped chives to garnish and a thinly sliced red chilli if you want some heat.

Method
Sprinkle the thighs with the salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the flour, shaking off and surplus.
Heat the wok until it is piping hot, add the oil and when it is almost smoking turn the heat down to low.  Add the chicken, skin side down and slowly brown it on both sides for about 10 minutes.  Drain off and remaining oil, add the garlic and stir fry for about 2 minutes.  Next add the Shaoxing, soy sauce and stock or water.  Keep the heat on as low as possible, cover and braise for 20 minutes until the chicken is tender.
When the chicken and garlic are cooked remove them from the wok and and keep warm.  Sprinkle with chives and serve.  We'll be eating it with steamed bok choy.