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Easy Chinese Braised Soy Sauce Chicken Thighs
5 from 117 votes

Easy Chinese Braised Soy Sauce Chicken Thighs

Easy Chinese Braised Soy Sauce Chicken Thighs feature chicken thighs simmered in a richly seasoned braising liquid of soy sauce, Chinese rose wine, ginger, star anise, and bay leaf. The result is tender chicken with fragrant skin and a deeply flavored sauce that can be served alongside rice or noodles. The dish highlights the balance of savory, sweet, and aromatic spices typical in Chinese braising techniques.

Prep Time
3 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 755 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 2.2 lb chicken thighs Try to use ones that are about the same weight so all the thighs will poach at the same rate. Take out 15-30 min before cooking so it's at room temperature
  • 2 thumbs ginger sliced, no need to peel
  • 3 star anise Substitute with a pinch of 5 spice powder if you're out. Don't over do it.
  • 2 bay leaf Don't use Indian bay leaves- not the same thing!
  • 1⅓ C soy sauce Not to be confused with sweet soy sauce or kicap manis, light
  • ¾ C Chinese rose wine Sub with Chinese shaoxing, sake or dry sherry but note the final chicken will be nowhere as fragrant (still tasty though!) The rose wine notes are really the star of this recipe- if you prefer to have the light soy sauce dominant, reduce the wine used to ⅜C instead. I highly recommend trying the recipe as it is first though. I don't even drink much and I love this sauce!, aka meikweilu
  • ¾ C sugar Feel free to use rock sugar instead but pounding it down to size isn't quick, granulated white
  • 2 T dark soy sauce Not to be confused with sweet soy sauce or kicap manis
  • 1.5 C water I add the water last to wash out any of the sauces that are stuck to the cups- dark soy sauce is particularly sticky!
  • neutral oil Very optional- I personally don't think it needs it, to glaze
  • sambal chili Optional: this is South East Asian style not traditional Cantonese Hong Kong style, to serve
  • rice Optional. See post above on how to eat this dish, or noodles, to serve

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add all the ingredients to the pot. Make sure that at least ¾ of each chicken thigh is submerged in the sauce. If not, your pot is too large.
  2. Bring to the boil on medium or medium-high heat, stirring for the sugar to dissolve. Don't use high heat as you don't want to shock your chicken and make the meat contract and be tough. (I used heat of 7 on a Bosch induction stove with a maximum fire of 9)
  3. Once it's boiling, turn down to medium or low heat so that the sauce is at a simmer, uncovered i.e. you see tiny bubbles rising to the top of the sauce. Let it simmer for 20-35 minutes, depending on the size of the thighs. Note after some time, the sauce may end up hot enough and start boiling, so you may want to adjust the heat down. I started with the fire at 5 (Bosch induction stove, maximum 9) and eventually reduced to 2.5-3.
  4. After 20-35 minutes have passed, flip the chicken and simmer for 10 minutes more then test for doneness- juices should run clear when the thickest part is sliced. I like to slice from underneath so the skin isn't cut and the thighs remain presentable.
  5. If not done, return to the pot to simmer a bit more.
  6. If done, remove all the thighs from the pot even if you're not eating them immediately (you don't want them to continue cooking in the pot). Optional glazing with a little oil if you want a glossier skin. Serve with rice or noodles. Stir the sauce before ladling a bit over the rice or noodles. (Taste first as the sauce can be salty though the chicken is perfectly seasoned.)
  7. I recommend keeping the braising sauce as master sauce- sieve and store in fridge for 3 days or freeze it. There are recipes ideas in the post regarding what to do with the sauce!

Notes

  • Preserve the tender, fragrant chicken skin by not discarding it after cooking.
  • For thicker sauce, add chicken wings or feet while braising or gently thicken with cornstarch slurry at the end.
  • Adding hard-boiled eggs or tofu is optional; place them on top of the chicken to ensure proper cooking.
  • Use chicken thighs of similar weight to ensure even cooking times.

Nutrition Information

Calories 755kcal (38%) Carbohydrates 53g (18%) Protein 43g (86%) Fat 36g (55%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g (41%) Monounsaturated Fat 15g (75%) Trans Fat 0.2g (10%) Cholesterol 208mg (69%) Sodium 4651mg (194%) Potassium 624mg (13%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 45g (90%) Vitamin A 171IU (3%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 43mg (4%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 755

% Daily Value*

Calories 755kcal 38%
Carbohydrates 53g 18%
Protein 43g 86%
Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g 41%
Monounsaturated Fat 15g 75%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 208mg 69%
Sodium 4651mg 194%
Potassium 624mg 13%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 45g 90%
Vitamin A 171IU 3%
Vitamin C 0.2mg 0%
Calcium 43mg 4%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.