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.
Why the Recipe Works
- Authentic Cantonese flavors: Achieved by simmering the chicken in soy sauce, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon.
- Moist, tender texture: Thanks to gentle poaching and resting.
- Easily customizable: Adjust the saltiness or sweetness to your taste.
101 to Succeeding with Soy Sauce Chicken
- Choosing the Chicken: Use a fresh, whole chicken for the best texture and flavor. Avoid frozen chickens if possible, as they can release too much water during cooking.
- Soy Sauce Balance: Light soy sauce provides saltiness, while dark soy sauce imparts a rich color and depth. Adjust the ratio to your liking.
- Resting Is Key: Letting the chicken rest in the broth ensures maximum flavor absorption and juiciness.
- Reuse the Broth: Strain and store the leftover broth in the refrigerator. It can be reused for future poaching or as a base for soups and stews.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Chicken: 
- 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lbs / 1.6 kg)
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
- 1/2 cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
- 1/4 cup rock sugar or brown sugar
- 6 slices ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 scallions, halved
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- Salt, to taste
For Garnish and Serving:
- Fresh cilantro or scallions, chopped
- Steamed jasmine rice or egg noodles
- Soy dipping sauce (optional)
How to Make Perfect See Yao Gai – Cantonese Soy Sauce Chicken
1. Prepare the Ingredients
- Rinse the chicken thoroughly under cold water, removing any excess fat or impurities. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Gather all aromatics and spices, setting them aside for the broth.
2. Make the Soy Sauce Broth
- In a large pot, combine water, light and dark soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions, star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
3. Simmer the Chicken
- Once the broth is boiling, reduce the heat to low. Gently lower the chicken into the pot, breast side down.
- Ensure the chicken is fully submerged. If needed, add more water or place a small plate on top to keep the chicken submerged.
4. Poach and Baste
- Cover the pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes, occasionally spooning the broth over the chicken.
- Flip the chicken halfway through to ensure even cooking.
5. Rest the Chicken
- Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the hot broth for an additional 15 minutes. This resting period helps lock in moisture.
6. Carve and Serve
- Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Let it cool slightly before carving.
- Serve the chicken with steamed rice or noodles, spooning some broth over the top. Garnish with cilantro or scallions.
Recipe Notes
- Make It Sweeter: Add a bit more rock sugar if you prefer a sweeter glaze.
- Salt Levels: If the broth becomes too salty, dilute it with a bit of water before poaching.
- Optional Dipping Sauce: Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, and garlic for a flavorful dip.
Check Out Some of Our Other Favorite Cantonese Recipes:
Char Siu: Perfect Cantonese BBQ Pork Belly
Comforting Cantonese Steamed Fish
Chinese Beef and Scallion Stir Fry – Cong Bao Niu
See Yao Gai: Cantonese Soy Sauce Chicken
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Soy Sauce Chicken is an iconic Cantonese dish, where a whole chicken is poached gently in a fragrant soy sauce-based broth until it is incredibly tender and juicy.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lbs / 1.6 kg)
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
- 1/2 cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
- 1/4 cup rock sugar or brown sugar
- 6 slices ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 scallions, halved
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- Salt, to taste
For Garnish and Serving:
- Fresh cilantro or scallions, chopped
- Steamed jasmine rice or egg noodles
- Soy dipping sauce (optional)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Ingredients
- Rinse the chicken thoroughly under cold water, removing any excess fat or impurities. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Gather all aromatics and spices, setting them aside for the broth.
2. Make the Soy Sauce Broth
- In a large pot, combine water, light and dark soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions, star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
3. Simmer the Chicken
- Once the broth is boiling, reduce the heat to low. Gently lower the chicken into the pot, breast side down.
- Ensure the chicken is fully submerged. If needed, add more water or place a small plate on top to keep the chicken submerged.
4. Poach and Baste
- Cover the pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes, occasionally spooning the broth over the chicken.
- Flip the chicken halfway through to ensure even cooking.
5. Rest the Chicken
- Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the hot broth for an additional 15 minutes. This resting period helps lock in moisture.
6. Carve and Serve
- Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Let it cool slightly before carving.
- Serve the chicken with steamed rice or noodles, spooning some broth over the top. Garnish with cilantro or scallions.
Notes
Make It Sweeter: Add a bit more rock sugar if you prefer a sweeter glaze.
Salt Levels: If the broth becomes too salty, dilute it with a bit of water before poaching.
Optional Dipping Sauce: Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, and garlic for a flavorful dip.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Poaching
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 200g
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
I mean this is probably the most gorgeous chicken dish I have ever made. So delicious!
Excellent recipe! I added a bit of chili oil to the broth for some spice, and it was perfect.
Can’t believe how easy this was to make. The broth was so good I saved it for a soup base. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
A one-pot wonder! The leftovers the next day tasted even better.
I see yao chicken, and raise you 100. Aweseome stuff!
Fantastic and beautiful dish. I used the white meat foe a fruity chicken salad and my friends swooned.
Hooray! Happy to hear!