Chinese Soy Sauce Chicken

An easy poached Chinese soy sauce chicken recipe that’s as incredibly flavorful, juicy and tender as it is impressive looking.

Soy Sauce Chicken or “See Yao Gai” is a Chinese chicken dish made with whole chicken poached in a soy sauce and sugar spiced stock. It’s a popular Cantonese dish that can be found hanging on many Chinese restaurant windows together with roast duck, roast pork and barbecue pork.

The cooking technique is what it makes this special, intermittent poaching is the key rather than boiling. With that cooking technique, it will make the skin absorb more liquid, giving it volume. And at the same time, the texture also improves, giving it a tender jelly like consistency. The meat is also so much better when cooked this way, unlike boiling which will loosen up the muscles, here method the meat becomes denser, but very very tender.

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I rarely make this at home, like the Hainanese Chicken because they are readily available at Chinese restaurants at a very affordable price but today I felt like making one to try to beat the flavor and texture of the restaurant we usually buy this from. And I have to say it came pretty dang close. Absolutely delicious, and completely rewarding!

Chinese Soy Sauce Chicken

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5 from 1 review

• Author: Ang Sarap
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Description

An easy poached Chinese soy sauce chicken recipe that’s as incredibly flavorful, juicy and tender as it is impressive looking.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 lb approx. whole chicken (room temperature)
• 8 slices ginger
• 3 stalks spring onions (cut into 2-inch sections)
• 3 pcs star anise
• 1 1/2 cup Chinese cooking wine
• 1 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 10 cups water
• oil

For the ginger scallion sauce:

• 2 pcs thumb sized ginger, minced
• 2 bunches spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 cup peanut oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

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Instructions

1. In a large stock pot heat small amount of oil. Sauté ginger and spring onions.
2. Add the star anise and rice wine bring it to a simmer, let the alcohol cook off.
3. Add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and water then bring to a boil then turn the heat off. Place the chicken into the pot fully submerge it in the liquid then cover. Leave it for 15 minutes with the heat turned off. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot then set it aside.
4. Bring the stock back to a boil, turn the heat off then place the chicken in, leave it again for 15 minutes with the heat turned off. Carefully remove the chicken again and set it aside. Do this cycle for a total of 4 times, meaning you have to bring the stock to a boil for 4 times and put the chicken back and out from the pot for 4 times.
5. Remove the chicken from the pot, drain well. Slice into smaller pieces then serve with ginger scallion sauce.
6. For the scallion ginger sauce: In a large heat proof bowl combine ginger, spring onions, sea salt and sesame oil. Set it aside.
7. In a pan heat oil until its near its smoking point, pour into the bowl with the rest, stir then let it cool. Season with more salt if needed, it should be salty.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Category: Main
• Method: poaching
• Cuisine: Chinese