Master the classic Cantonese Soy Sauce Chicken (豉油鸡) with this easy, restaurant-quality recipe. Perfectly tender, aromatic, and glistening with a savory-sweet glaze. Ideal for family dinners or impressing guests. Includes step-by-step photos, pro tips, and full nutrition facts.
Description
Soy Sauce Chicken, or 豉油鸡 (shì yóu jī), is a cornerstone of Cantonese cuisine. This isn't just boiled chicken in soy sauce—it's a meticulous process of poaching and basting in a fragrant "master sauce" that results in incredibly juicy meat infused with deep, savory-sweet flavors and a signature mahogany-red, glossy skin. This recipe breaks down the traditional technique into simple steps, perfect for home cooks and food content creators alike. Save the master sauce—it gets better every time you use it!
For the Chicken & Prep:
For the Master Sauce:
For the Glaze & Serve:
Instructions
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Prepare the Chicken
Thoroughly pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. This is crucial for even coloring. Rub the exterior with 2 tbsp of Shaoxing wine. Stuff the cavity with half of the green onions (cut into 3-inch pieces) and half of the sliced ginger.
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Make the Master Sauce
In a pot large enough to submerge the chicken (like a Dutch oven), combine all Master Sauce ingredients: water, light and dark soy sauces, 1 cup Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, five-Spice Powder, bay leaves, and the remaining ginger and green onions. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
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Poach & Baste (The Key Technique):
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First Lowering: Carefully lower the chicken into the simmering sauce, breast-side up. Lift it out immediately and let the liquid drain from the cavity. This equalizes temperature.
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Final Lowering: Lower the chicken back into the pot. The sauce should almost cover it. Maintain a gentle simmer (small bubbles, not a rolling boil).
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Baste Continuously: Using a ladle, continuously pour the hot sauce over the exposed breast and top of the chicken for 15 minutes.
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Flip & Finish: Carefully flip the chicken breast-side down. Continue simmering and basting for another 15 minutes.
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Rest in Sauce
Turn off the heat. Flip the chicken breast-side up again. Cover the pot and let the chicken rest and finish cooking in the residual heat for 40 minutes. The internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh should reach 165°F (74°C).
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Glaze & Serve
Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce by about one-third until slightly syrupy. Stir in maltose or honey to create a glossy glaze. Brush this glaze generously all over the chicken. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then chop Chinese-style through the bone into pieces. Garnish with fresh scallions and cilantro. Serve with steamed rice and a small bowl of the reduced master sauce for dipping.
Equipment
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Large Dutch Oven
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 350kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 18g28%
- Saturated Fat 5g25%
- Cholesterol 120mg40%
- Sodium 1200mg50%
- Total Carbohydrate 8g3%
- Sugars 6g
- Protein 35g70%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- The Master Stock is Gold: Strain and freeze the leftover sauce. It's now a "master stock" and can be reused for chicken, pork belly, or tofu. Each use makes it more complex and valuable.
- Don't Boil! A violent boil will cause the skin to tighten and toughen. A gentle simmer is non-negotiable for tender meat.
- Achieving the Perfect Gloss: The combination of dark soy sauce, rock sugar, and maltose is the secret to the iconic shiny, red-brown color. Maltose provides superior shine without making the sauce too sweet.
- For Competition/YouTube: The "basting" and "glazing" steps are highly visual. Use a cleaver to chop the chicken on camera—the sound and reveal of juicy meat are incredibly engaging. Explain the science of the master stock as a storytelling hook.