Cantonese Soy Sauce Chicken

A whole chicken gently poached in a fragrant soy and rice wine master sauce until lacquered and silky.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 55 min
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 1 whole free-range chicken (about 1.6kg), at room temperature
  • 1.2 litres water
  • 200ml light soy sauce
  • 80ml dark soy sauce
  • 150ml Shaoxing rice wine
  • 100g rock sugar (or caster sugar)
  • 6 slices fresh ginger
  • 4 spring onions, tied into a knot
  • 3 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick or piece of cassia bark
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, to brush
  • To serve: 1 spring onion, finely shredded
  • Small handful of fresh coriander

Method

  1. Put the water, both soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, ginger, spring onions, star anise and cinnamon in a deep pot just big enough to hold the chicken. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

  2. Lower the chicken into the pan breast side down. The liquid should come nearly to the top of the bird; top up with a little boiling water if needed. Cover and return to a very gentle simmer.

  3. Cook for 15 minutes, then carefully turn the chicken breast side up using two wooden spoons. Cover and simmer very gently for another 15 minutes.

  4. Turn off the heat, keep the lid on and leave the chicken in the sauce for 15 minutes. The thickest part of the thigh should reach at least 75°C and the juices should run clear. If not, return to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.

  5. Lift the chicken out, draining the cavity, and place on a board. Brush the skin with the sesame oil and rest for 10 minutes.

  6. Boil 250ml of the cooking liquid in a small pan for 5 minutes until slightly reduced.

  7. Chop the chicken into pieces through the bone with a heavy knife, arrange on a plate and spoon over some of the reduced sauce. Scatter with spring onion and coriander and serve with rice.