Soy Sauce Chicken (See Yao Gai, 豉油鸡)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
298 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Soy Sauce Chicken (See Yao Gai, 豉油鸡)
Description
This recipe begins by gently frying aromatics such as scallions, ginger, star anise, and bay leaves in oil to release their fragrance. Light and dark soy sauces, Shaoxing rice wine, brown sugar, and water are added to create a braising liquid. Chicken thighs, placed skin-side down without overlapping, simmer in this mixture, which penetrates the meat with a rich, savory flavor.
The chicken cooks covered at low heat for about 35 minutes, flipped halfway for even cooking. This slow simmer breaks down connective tissue, resulting in tender meat infused with soy sauce's sweetness and the spice notes of star anise and ginger. Once cooked, the chicken is cooled enough to handle, deboned, and sliced for serving.
The reduced cooking liquid with added cornstarch serves as a thickened sauce complementing the chicken. This dish works well as the centerpiece of a meal or sliced over rice or noodles with vegetables. Cooking times can be adapted for other chicken cuts, with care taken to ensure meat is cooked through to safe temperatures, tested by thermometer or chopstick tenderness.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs see note 1 for other options
- ½ tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 3 talks scallion cut in halves
- 1 thumb-sized ginger sliced
- 3 star anise
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 cup soy sauce 240ml, light
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or Chinese rose wine
- 2 tablespoon dark brown sugar or 40g rock sugar
- 2 cups water 480ml
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch mix with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Prepare the braising liquid
- Add oil, scallions, ginger, star anise, and bay leaves to a wok/pot. Fry over low heat until fragrant and the scallions and ginger browns a little.
- Pour in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, sugar and water. Turn the heat to high. Bring the liquid to a boil.
Cook the chicken
- Slide in the chicken thighs, skin side down (they should be in a single layer without overlapping). Adjust the water if necessary. The liquid should cover most parts of the chicken.
- When the cooking liquid comes back to a boil, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Cover and leave to simmer for 35 mins. Flip over all the thighs then cook for a further 10 mins (see note 1 if cooking other cuts of chicken).
Serve the chicken
- Take out the chicken. When cool enough to handle, remove the bones then slice into bite-sized pieces (see instructions in post content above).
- Keep about 120ml (½ cup) of the broth in the wok/pot then heat up. Right before it starts to boil, add the cornstarch mixture. Remove from the heat once the sauce reaches the desired thickness. Pour it over the sliced chicken, or serve it in a bowl on the side for dipping (see note 2 for serving ideas).
- The remaing broth can be reused. Pour it into a jar/container through a sieve and discard the spices.Use within 4 days if kept in the fridge or for 3 months in the freezer.
Notes
- Other chicken parts can be used; adjust cooking time accordingly (wings ~25 min, drumsticks ~35 min, legs or quarters 45-50 min).
- Check doneness with a kitchen thermometer (above 165°F/74°C) or by piercing meat to test tenderness.
- Serve sliced chicken as a main dish or as topping for rice or noodles with lightly seasoned vegetables.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 298 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 298kcal | 15% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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