Authentic Soy Sauce Chicken (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds (free-range, ideally not previously frozen)
02 -
2 teaspoons cooking oil
03 -
7 pieces of ginger, thinly sliced
04 -
2 scallions, smashed and cut into 3-inch sections
05 -
3 pieces of star anise
06 -
1 ½ cups Shaoxing wine or Chinese rose wine (mei gui lu)
07 -
1 ½ cups regular soy sauce
08 -
1 1/4 cups dark soy sauce
09 -
1 cup sugar, plus an extra 2 tablespoons
10 -
2 teaspoons table salt
11 -
10 cups water
# Instructions:
01 -
Let your chicken sit at room temperature for around an hour before you cook it. Rinse inside and out thoroughly after getting rid of any giblets.
02 -
Heat up a tall, narrow pot on medium-low heat. Pour in the oil and toss in the ginger. Let it sit just long enough to caramelize, around 30 seconds.
03 -
Add the smashed scallions and cook them for about half a minute. Then, add the star anise, Chinese rose wine or Shaoxing wine, both soy sauces, sugar, salt, and water. Keep it on low heat, letting it simmer for 20 minutes.
04 -
Turn up the heat to bring the liquid close to boiling. Carefully place the chicken into the pot breast side up using a sturdy roasting fork, making sure it’s completely covered by the liquid. If there's air in the cavity or the chicken is not fully submerged, adjust or baste it occasionally with the liquid.
05 -
Turn the liquid down to a gentle simmer, keeping the temperature around 210°F, and let it cook for 25 minutes. Once it’s done, turn off the burner, cover the pot, and leave it to sit in the hot liquid for another 15 minutes to rest.
06 -
Move the chicken onto a cutting board. Brush it with some of the sauce from the pot as it cools to stop the skin from drying out. Serve it alongside some rice and a splash of the cooking sauce.
# Notes:
01 -
Swap the whole chicken for leg quarters to cut down on the cooking time. Save the leftover sauce in the freezer for future use, but be ready to adjust the seasoning when you reuse it.