Soy Sauce Chicken
Soy Sauce Chicken, a staple in home cooking across Asia, is not only easy to make but also incredibly delicious. It's a favorite among many, offering a simple recipe that suits any level of cooking skill. This dish is so enticing that it might have you reaching for an extra bowl of rice without hesitation.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy paste
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 2 inches of fresh ginger peeled
- 2 tablespoons cooking wine
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 star anise
- 2 cups of water
- 2 scallions chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Sesame oil to taste
Instructions
- Marinating the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, soy paste, garlic, ginger, and cooking wine. Place your chicken thighs in the marinade, ensuring they are fully covered. Let them marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for a deeper flavor.
- Brown the Chicken: After marinating, use a deep skillet or pot to brown the chicken thighs on both sides.
- Cook: Add the marinade to the pot. Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, sesame oil, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmering: Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Seasoning: Towards the end of cooking, add the chopped scallions.
- Serving: Once the chicken is done, transfer it to a serving dish and garnish with more chopped scallions.
Video
Notes
- Marination time: The longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavor it will absorb. Overnight is ideal, but if you're short on time, even an hour can make a big difference.
- Browning the chicken: Browning the chicken thighs before simmering helps seal in the juices and provides a nice texture. Make sure the skillet is hot before you add the chicken to get a good sear.
- Simmering: When simmering, make sure the heat is low enough that the liquid is just lightly bubbling. If it's boiling too vigorously, the chicken might become tough.
- Adjusting the sauce: If you'd like a thicker sauce, you can remove the cooked chicken from the pot and then simmer the sauce on medium-high heat until it reduces to your desired thickness. You can also dissolve a little cornstarch in cold water and stir it into the simmering sauce to thicken it.
- Serving: This dish would go great with steamed rice or noodles to soak up the flavorful sauce. You could also add some steamed vegetables for a balanced meal.
- Leftovers: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flavors will continue to meld and it will be even more delicious the next day.
Nutrition
Calories: 290kcal