Soy sauce braised chicken is a delicious and simple slow-cooked Chinese dish that results in incredibly tender meat in a fantastic broth.
This recipe is based on a dish called See Yao Gai, and whilst it takes some time to cook (1¼ hours), most of it is hands-off cooking, and it is very easy.
See Yao Gai(ish): Braised Chicken Legs
In a world where time pressures define much of our cooking, braising or poaching is often overlooked as a way to get dinner on the table.
But I love it as a way of cooking! I have examples from around the world, like Indonesian babi chin, very British braised steak and onions and Chinese braised pork knuckle.
This is another example based on Chinese cuisine, braised chicken legs in soy sauce, and it's so simple to make despite not being a quick recipe.
All you need to do is roughly chop a few ingredients and throw them in the pan with the braising liquids.
Then you turn on the heat and pretty much walk away until dinner is ready.
The most "complicated" part of the recipe is thickening and little of the sauce at the end. Which, let's face it, is also incredibly easy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breast?
You can get away with this using chicken breast if you wish. But I would be tempted to use chicken breast on the crown rather than boneless chicken breasts.
However, you do need to be much more careful with the cooking of chicken breast to stop it from overcooking. You will need to reduce the cooking time a little and remove the chicken just below 73°C or 165°F.
Can I cook this in a slow cooker?
Yes, this cooks really well in a slow cooker. However, you will need to scale up the cooking liquid because it is important that the chicken is submerged whilst it is poaching. It will take around 4 hours to cook on low.
This could create waste and increase the cost of making this recipe if you have a large crockpot.
Do I have to add the MSG?
No, but it does make this dish better, it is an incredible seasoning that I love. Almost everything that you have read about MSG is nonsense!
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, this will be fine in the fridge if stored properly for 2-3 days. It will just need to be gently reheated before serving.
Serving Suggestions
I've served my soy sauce braised chicken legs with some plain rice and simply cooked pak choi in the photos on this page. The sauce made from the braising liquid offers more than enough flaovur to go around.
Of course, you can get a bit more "fancy" with the rice if you want, and this is superb with egg fried rice or vegetable fried rice.
Noodles are another great option, something like a plain chow mein or my vegetarian ho fun noodles would be fantastic as a side.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan with a lid.
- 15cm or 6" saucepan.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Small mixing bowl and spoon.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
- A quick-read meat thermometer (optional)
Chinese Soy Sauce Braised Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Large Chicken Legs (Skin-on Bone-in) 500-550g Total
- 3 Spring Onions Plus an extra one for Garnish
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 30 g Ginger 1 Thumb-Sized Piece
- 375 ml Water 1½ Cups
- 125 ml Light Soy Sauce ½ Cup
- 75 ml Shaoxing Wine ⅓ Cup
- 3 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 Star Anise
- 2 teaspoon Sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon MSG
For the Cornflour Slurry:
- 1 teaspoon Cornflour
- 2 teaspoon Water
Instructions
- Roughly chop the spring onions and toss them into a 20cm or 8" saucepan. Set aside the green parts for later.
- Bash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and toss them in the pan.
- Roughly chop the ginger and toss it into the pan.
- Pour the water, soy sauces, and Shaoxing wine into the pan, then add the star anise, sugar and MSG, then stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the chicken legs (skin side down) to the pan, and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Once the chicken is simmering, skim off any foam on the surface of the water. Add a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes.
- Check that the chicken has reached at least 73°C or 165°F, then remove it and set it aside. *See Note Section Below*
- Remove 125ml (½ Cup) of the poaching liquid from the cooking pan and add it to a small 15cm or 6" saucepan and bring it to a boil. Mix the ingredients for the cornflour slurry and whisk them into the sauce, and cook until it has thickened a little.
- Finally, slice the extra spring onion to sprinkle over the chicken before serving.