Soy Sauce Chicken

Juicy chicken thighs simmered in a savory sweet sauce made of minimal ingredients. This quick and easy soy sauce chicken is ready in 30 minutes in one pan! Great as a main dish for busy weeknights. It's family-friendly and better-than-takeout.

Soy Sauce Chicken (or 'See Yao Gai') features tender chicken thighs cooked in a savory, sweet sauce made of soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and rice vinegar.

It's a popular Chinese chicken dish made of humble ingredients. The literal translation of "see yao gai" is "soy sauce chicken".

You'll find this dish served at many Chinese restaurants or Chinese BBQ takeaways. The cooked chickens are hanging by a window, so customers can choose which one they want one.

You can buy the chicken whole, in portions, or served as a meal with jasmine rice, Asian greens, and the jus from the chicken.

I love making this dish at home as it's so simple and delicious. The sauce over the rice is like another meal in itself!

Why you'll love this recipe:

• Ready in 30-minutes!
• Easy to make.
• Made with minimal ingredients!
• Family-friendly.
• Better-than-takeout and cheaper.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements:

• Skin-on Bone-in Chicken Thighs: or substitute with skinless-boneless chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F with a digital cooking thermometer.
• Green Onion
• Neutral Oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any low-smoke point oil.

Sauce

• Garlic
• Ginger: to remove any gamey flavor from the meat.
• Honey: or substitute with maple syrup, corn syrup or even brown sugar.
• Water: cold or room temperature.
• Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos.
• Dark Soy Sauce: or substitute with dark mushroom soy sauce.
• Rice Vinegar: or substitute with apple cider vinegar, Shaoxing wine, dry sherry, or dry white wine.

Variation

• For a gluten-free variation: substitute both soy sauces with tamari sauce, coconut aminos, or a gluten-free soy sauce.

Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make soy sauce chicken:

1. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients as listed above and mix until honey is dissolved. 

2. Sear chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 2 minutes. Then flip over and sear on the other side for 2 minutes. Avoid moving the chicken around as it sears.

3. Add sauce and simmer: Add the sauce. Reduce to low-medium heat, cover, and simmer for 7 minutes.

4. Flip over and simmer: Flip chicken over. Cover and cook for another 5-7 minutes until cooked, or an internal temperature of 165 degrees F with a digital cooking thermometer.

5. Flip one more time and baste: Flip chicken one last time so it's skin-side up. Baste the sauce over the chicken skin. Remove off heat. Garnish with green onions and the sauce served on the side.

Storage & Reheating

• Soy sauce chicken will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge, once cooled. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
• Soy sauce chicken can be frozen for up to 1-2 months in a freezer safe bag, once cooled. To enjoy, defrost it overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.

Pairing Suggestions

Soy sauce chicken serves well with:

• white or brown rice, or fried rice.
• chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles, or soup noodles.
• cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
• protein dishes like Oven-Roasted Char Siu or Air Fryer Char Siu, or Chinese Roasted Pork Belly.

FAQ

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