Soy Sauce Chicken
This soy sauce chicken is the perfect plate of comfort food. It’s a dish I grew up eating quite often because of how simple yet delicious it is. It’s a take on my mama’s recipe and is also one she learnt from hers (my popo). This dish brought us together, whether crowded around the dinner table or sharing leftovers the next day. It’s a recipe that reminds me who I am, where I come from and the kind of warmth I want to offer others. It’s more than just a dish – it’s a memory, connection and love, simmered gently in a pot.
Ingredients
- 4chicken legs
- 4 tablespoonsdark soy sauce
- 0.5 teaspoonsground white pepper
- 2 tablespoonsvegetable oil
- 40 gramsrock sugar
- 2spring onion
- 5sliced ginger
- 2garlic bulbs
- 3small shallots
- 50 millilitersdark soy sauce
- 50 milliliterslight soy sauce (use low sodium light soy sauce if preferred)
- 50 millilitersShaoxing wine (optional, leave out to make alcohol free)
- 1cinnamon stick
- 5cloves
- 1star anise
- 500 milliliterswater
- 2 tablespoonscornstarch
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken legs in a large bowl and cover with boiling water for 30 seconds to tighten the skin. Remove and pat dry thoroughly. Transfer to a clean bowl and marinate with 4 tbsp of dark soy sauce and ground white pepper.
- 2
Lightly crush the spring onions and slice lengthwise into thirds. Roughly chop the ginger, garlic, and shallots.
- 3
Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat, then add rock sugar. Stir until the sugar begins to caramelise. Add spring onion, ginger, garlic and shallots. Fry for 3 minutes, adding a splash of water if necessary to prevent burning.
- 4
Add the marinated chicken legs to the wok, skin side down and sear for 2 minutes without moving them. Pour in the remaining dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine (if using) and water. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise.
- 5
Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and braise for 35 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through.
- 6
Remove the chicken from the wok and let it cool. Strain out the aromatics and spices from the sauce. Mix 2 tbsp of the sauce with the cornstarch, then stir the mixture back into the remaining sauce to thicken. Remove from heat once thickened.
- 7
Shred the chicken, spoon over the sauce and serve with steamed rice.