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Soy sauce chicken
See yau gai (豉油雞): whole chicken poached in a sweet master stock of soy, rock sugar and star anise
Glossy, chestnut-brown and hung by the neck in siu mei shop windows across Hong Kong, see yau gai is the gentle cousin of roast meats: a whole chicken poached in a fragrant master stock of light and dark soy, rock sugar, star anise, cinnamon and ginger until the skin is lacquered and the meat silky and sweet-savoury. It is chopped onto plates of rice with a ladle of the sauce for a quick lunch, or served at home with blanched greens. Shaoxing rice wine goes into the stock, with an alcohol-free option in the list. Traditional cooks pull the bird while it is still pink at the bone; this recipe does not, and the chicken is cooked to 74 °C in the thickest part of the thigh. The main pitfall is a rolling boil, which tears the skin and toughens the breast; keep the stock barely trembling. Chef's tip: strain and freeze the stock, and it gets deeper every time you reuse it.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 ½ lb whole chickenat room temperature for 30 minutes
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
For the master stock
- 1 cup light soy sauce
- ¼ cup dark soy sauce
- 4 oz rock sugaror soft brown sugar
- 4 ¼ cups water
- ¼ cup Shaoxing rice winealcohol-free: use chicken stock
- 1 ⅜ oz fresh gingersliced
- 4 spring onionscut into lengths
- 1 piece dried tangerine peel (optional)soaked and scraped
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Choose a heavy pot just big enough to hold the chicken. Add 1 cup light soy sauce, ¼ cup dark soy sauce, 4 oz rock sugar, 4 ¼ cups water, ¼ cup Shaoxing rice wine, 4 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 ⅜ oz fresh ginger, 4 spring onions and 1 piece dried tangerine peel and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
10 minStep 2: Simmer the stock gently for 10 minutes so the spices infuse.
10 minStep 3: Holding 3 ½ lb whole chicken by the wings or with a large hook, lower it into the stock, lift it out to let the hot liquid drain from the cavity, and lower it again. Do this 3 times; it warms the inside so it cooks evenly.
Step 4: Lay the chicken breast side down in the pot. The stock should come at least halfway up; ladle it over the top. Keep the heat low so the surface barely trembles, and poach for 20 minutes, turning the bird halfway.
20 minStep 5: Turn off the heat, cover tightly and leave the chicken in the stock to cook gently.
25 minStep 6: Check the thickest part of the thigh with a thermometer, not touching bone: it must reach 165°F and the juices must run clear. If it hasn't, bring the stock back to a bare simmer for 5 minutes, then cover off the heat for 5 more and test again.
5 minStep 7: Lift out the chicken, letting the stock drain from the cavity, and brush it all over with 1 tbsp sesame oil for shine. Rest for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 8: Chop through the bone into pieces with a cleaver, or carve into joints, and arrange on a plate.
Step 9: Spoon over a few ladles of the warm stock and serve with rice. Strain the rest and freeze it for next time.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does soy sauce chicken take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of light soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
- What can I use instead of dark soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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