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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Published: Jul 24, 2022 · Modified: Nov 17, 2022 by Julia · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments

    Chinese Braised Soy Sauce Chicken

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Chinese braised soy sauce chicken is an easy home recipe that's sure to impress. Juicy chicken thighs (or drumsticks, if you prefer) slow simmered in a rich, slightly sweet soy sauce mixture can done in under an hour!

    chinese braised soy sauce chicken

    Chinese soy sauce chicken is always one of those restaurant dishes that come out glistening with soy glaze. It's hard not to dig in immediately. With a heavy-bottomed pot, this recipe is easy to replicate at home with the most simple of ingredients.

    If you're looking for more recipes with delicious glazes, try my Honey Sesame Pan-Fried Tofu or Baked Teriyaki Tofu and Broccoli.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Ingredients

    • Chicken drumsticks, skin-on and bone-in: You can also use chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on). I always recommend cooking meats with bone-in because the protein will maintain more moisture and you'll get a juicier end result.
    • Light soy sauce: If you can, use low-sodium soy sauce so as not to overwhelm the dish.
    • Dark soy sauce: There tends to be a misconception that because dark soy sauce is dark that it is saltier than light soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is sweeter and thicker.
    • Shaoxing wine: In China, seafood or poultry dishes always include Shaoxing wine to help mellow out any of the game-y flavors associated with these proteins. Personally, I find this to be my secret ingredient for many of my Chinese recipes.
    • Sesame oil
    • Brown sugar
    • Star anise
    • Bay leaves
    • Garlic: Smash the garlic cloves. Smashed garlic cloves release fragrance that is great for slow-cooked meals.
    • Scallions: Chop scallions into 2-3 inch sections, separating the whites from the greens.
    • Ginger

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    1. Remove chicken from package and pat dry with a paper towel. You will get the best crisp when there is less moisture on the outside of the chicken.
    ginger, garlic, and scallions in pot

    2. Add a neutral oil to a heavy-bottomed pot (such as a dutch oven) and sauté sliced ginger, garlic cloves, and the white parts of the scallion on medium heat.

    chicken drumsticks in pot

    3. When the garlic cloves start to lightly brown (about 1-2 minutes), add the chicken. Ensure that each piece of chicken gets its own surface area and that there is little to no crowding. None of the chicken should be overlapping.

    4. When the bottom side is light golden brown, flip to brown the other side.

    5. When both sides are browned, add both soy sauces, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, and water. Let brown sugar dissolve into the liquid and add star anise and bay leaves.

    add soy sauce mixture, bay leaves and star anise in pot

    6. Allow the liquid to come to a bubbling simmer and turn the heat to low. Place lid on the pot and let simmer for 35 minutes. Flip the chicken at around 15 minutes to ensure that both sides are simmered in the sauce.

    7. Add in the green parts of the scallion and you're ready to serve.

    8. Spoon some of the soy sauce mixture on top of a big bowl of rice before topping off with a serving of chicken.

    chinese soy sauce chicken

    Storage

    Store the chicken and the sauce in the fridge in separate air-tight containers. The chicken will be good for another 2-3 days, but they won't last that long!

    The sauce will congeal when cold. Simply scoop out the amount you want to use and heat it up in a pot with some extra broth. You can use this for soups or as topping for rice.

    📖 Recipe

    chinese braised soy sauce chicken
    Print Pin
    4.93 from 64 votes

    Chinese Braised Soy Sauce Chicken

    Juicy chicken thighs (or drumsticks, if you prefer) slow simmered in a rich, slightly sweet soy sauce mixture can done in under an hour!
    Course Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine Chinese
    Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 50 minutes minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes minutes
    Servings 4
    Author Julia

    Ingredients

    • 3 lbs chicken drumsticks (or thighs) skin-on and bone-in
    • 3 stalks scallions
    • 4 cloves garlic (lightly smashed)
    • ½ inch ginger (sliced)
    • ½ cup light soy sauce
    • ¼ cup dark soy sauce
    • ¼ cup Shaoxing wine
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • ½ cup water
    • 2 star anise
    • 3 bay leaves

    Instructions

    • Remove chicken from package and pat dry with a paper towel. You will get the best crisp when there is less moisture on the outside of the chicken.
    • Add a neutral oil to a heavy-bottomed pot (such as a dutch oven) and saute sliced ginger, garlic cloves, and the white parts of the scallion on medium heat.
    • When the garlic cloves start to lightly brown (about 1-2 minutes), add the chicken. Ensure that each piece of chicken gets its own surface area and that there is little to no crowding. None of the chicken should be overlapping.
    • When the bottom side is light golden brown, flip to brown the other side.
    • When both sides are browned, add both soy sauces, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, and water. Let brown sugar dissolve into the liquid and add star anise and bay leaves.
    • Allow the liquid to come to a bubbling simmer and turn the heat to low. Place lid on the pot and let simmer for 35 minutes. Flip the chicken at around 15 minutes to ensure that both sides are simmered in the sauce.
    • Add in the green parts of the scallion and you're ready to serve.
    • Spoon some of the soy sauce mixture on top of a big bowl of rice before topping off with a serving of chicken.
    chinese braised soy sauce chicken in heavy dutch oven pot

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elizabeth says

      July 25, 2022 at 8:32 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe! We loved it!

      Reply
    2. Maggie says

      July 25, 2022 at 8:45 am

      5 stars
      Delicious recipe!

      Reply
      • Fred says

        April 24, 2023 at 6:39 am

        Marinate your chicken for a few hours in the liquid and sugar to elevate the recipe

        Reply
    3. Swathi says

      July 25, 2022 at 9:52 am

      5 stars
      This chinese braised soy sauce chicken looks delicious

      Reply
    4. Natalie says

      July 25, 2022 at 9:54 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic soy sauce. Loved by the whole family, thanks!

      Reply
    5. Andréa Janssen says

      July 25, 2022 at 10:01 am

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious recipe.

      Reply
    6. nancy says

      July 25, 2022 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      tasty classic recipe!

      Reply
    7. Jeri says

      July 25, 2022 at 10:49 am

      5 stars
      Love this sauce! The chicken was fall-apart tender too!

      Reply
    8. Kyleigh says

      July 25, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      5 stars
      The flavor is amazing!

      Reply
    9. Brianna May says

      July 26, 2022 at 8:07 am

      5 stars
      Looks so good!

      Reply
    10. Janie | Naughty Kitchen says

      July 27, 2022 at 10:31 am

      5 stars
      The chicken simmered in soy sauce with the sweetness of brown sugar was so delicious. Served it over rice and poured alot of the sauce too!

      Reply
    11. Deb says

      July 27, 2022 at 10:45 am

      Thanks so much for the step by step. This turned out fantastic with no leftovers. Next time will make more.

      Reply
    12. Rob says

      July 27, 2022 at 12:51 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and delicious! My family absolutely loved it. This chicken recipe is going into our weekly rotation.

      Reply
    13. Genevieve says

      July 31, 2022 at 8:20 pm

      5 stars
      Oh, this recipe looks delicious and I love that you made this braised chicken in a Dutch oven. No need to order takeout. I can't wait to try this!

      Reply
    14. ramona says

      August 01, 2022 at 11:39 am

      5 stars
      I am really craving this for dinner tonight, it looks super delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
    15. Jade says

      June 19, 2023 at 1:49 pm

      Hi, can you sub rock sugar or white sugar for brown sugar?

      Reply
      • Julia says

        August 10, 2023 at 12:54 pm

        Yes, you can!

        Reply
    16. Kaitlyn says

      December 30, 2023 at 2:07 am

      5 stars
      Easy to make and tasted great.

      Reply
    17. Alex Reynolds says

      March 08, 2024 at 2:45 am

      5 stars
      I reduced the sauce with a bit of water and corn starch to lower the saltiness and add some body. I added some more garlic, ginger, and chopped lemongrass. I also chopped up a couple Thai peppers and it added a fair bit of heat. Very tweakable; will absolutely do this again!

      Reply
      • Julia says

        March 08, 2024 at 5:44 pm

        Love the tweaks you've suggested, this sounds delicious!

        Reply
    18. Tam says

      September 19, 2024 at 6:09 pm

      5 stars
      My husband and son just love this recipe!!!!!!!!

      Reply
    19. Wai Yip says

      January 04, 2025 at 4:56 pm

      My little hack is to substitute water with 3/4 cup soaked dried shitake mushroom water. This gives me extra flavourful sauce which I extend to make another dish by adding form tofu pieces the next day. Win win!!

      Reply
    4.93 from 64 votes (48 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm J! I'm a marketer by day, food photographer and recipe-tester by any other time available. The Floured Camera was born from my need to make quick, delicious, and (sometimes) healthy dishes for when I'm craving my favorite Asian childhood dishes!

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