Cantonese Soy Sauce Chicken
Cantonese Soy Sauce Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 whole chicken legs, deboned, bones and excess fat reserved
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
For the Master Stock Aromatics & Spices
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
- 3 slices ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 stalks spring onion, cut into large pieces
- 2 clove, whole
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch piece cassia bark
- 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 2 star anise
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the Master Stock Liquids & Seasoning
- 6 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
For the Ginger & Spring Onion Relish
- 1/4 cup spring onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, finely diced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, heated until very hot
For Serving
- 4 cups steamed rice, cooked
- 2 bunches bok choy, blanched
Instructions
- 1
Debone the chicken legs, carefully removing the bones while keeping the meat intact. Cut off any excess chicken fat and reserve it along with the bones. Crack the saved bones with the back of a knife to expose the marrow.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
In a bowl, combine the deboned chicken legs with grated ginger, white pepper, salt, cornstarch, rice wine, and dark soy sauce. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly and set aside to marinate.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
In a large pot, toast the fennel seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the toasted fennel seeds and set aside.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the same pot. Add sliced ginger, smashed garlic, and large pieces of spring onion, and fry until aromatic, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Add the reserved chicken bones and fat to the pot. Allow them to render and caramelize for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Return the toasted fennel seeds to the pot. Add the whole clove, bay leaf, cassia bark, five spice powder, garlic powder, black cardamom pod, star anise, and black peppercorns. Stir to combine with the aromatics and bones, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Pour in the water, then season with salt, brown sugar, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for approximately 40 minutes to develop the master stock's flavor.
⏱️ 40 min
- 8
After the stock has simmered, carefully remove the chicken bones, large chunks of ginger, and any rendered fat from the pot using a slotted spoon or tongs. Lower the heat to low.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Gently add the marinated deboned chicken legs into the simmering master stock. Ensure the chicken is submerged. Cover the pot and slow poach the chicken for 18 to 22 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces, to ensure they remain super juicy.
⏱️ 22 min
- 10
While the chicken is poaching, prepare the relish. In a heatproof bowl, combine the finely diced spring onion and ginger. Add salt, granulated sugar, white pepper, and chicken bouillon powder.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Heat the neutral oil until very hot (it should shimmer and lightly smoke). Carefully pour the hot oil over the relish mixture. It will sizzle and release the aromatics. Mix well.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Remove the cooked chicken from the master stock. Slice the chicken into serving pieces. Serve the sliced chicken over a bed of steamed rice, accompanied by blanched bok choy. Top the chicken with a generous spoonful of the freshly made ginger and spring onion relish, and drizzle some of the master stock over the dish.
⏱️ 6 min
- 13
To store the master stock for future use, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove all solids. Allow the strained stock to cool completely. Once cool, skim off the solidified layer of seasoned chicken fat (which can be saved for other uses). Pour the remaining master stock into a leak-proof freezer bag, label it, and freeze for future use.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Cantonese Soy Sauce Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 whole chicken legs, deboned, bones and excess fat reserved
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
For the Master Stock Aromatics & Spices
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
- 3 slices ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 stalks spring onion, cut into large pieces
- 2 clove, whole
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch piece cassia bark
- 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 2 star anise
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the Master Stock Liquids & Seasoning
- 6 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
For the Ginger & Spring Onion Relish
- 1/4 cup spring onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, finely diced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, heated until very hot
For Serving
- 4 cups steamed rice, cooked
- 2 bunches bok choy, blanched
Instructions
- 1
Debone the chicken legs, carefully removing the bones while keeping the meat intact. Cut off any excess chicken fat and reserve it along with the bones. Crack the saved bones with the back of a knife to expose the marrow.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
In a bowl, combine the deboned chicken legs with grated ginger, white pepper, salt, cornstarch, rice wine, and dark soy sauce. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly and set aside to marinate.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
In a large pot, toast the fennel seeds over medium heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the toasted fennel seeds and set aside.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the same pot. Add sliced ginger, smashed garlic, and large pieces of spring onion, and fry until aromatic, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Add the reserved chicken bones and fat to the pot. Allow them to render and caramelize for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Return the toasted fennel seeds to the pot. Add the whole clove, bay leaf, cassia bark, five spice powder, garlic powder, black cardamom pod, star anise, and black peppercorns. Stir to combine with the aromatics and bones, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Pour in the water, then season with salt, brown sugar, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for approximately 40 minutes to develop the master stock's flavor.
⏱️ 40 min - 8
After the stock has simmered, carefully remove the chicken bones, large chunks of ginger, and any rendered fat from the pot using a slotted spoon or tongs. Lower the heat to low.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Gently add the marinated deboned chicken legs into the simmering master stock. Ensure the chicken is submerged. Cover the pot and slow poach the chicken for 18 to 22 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces, to ensure they remain super juicy.
⏱️ 22 min - 10
While the chicken is poaching, prepare the relish. In a heatproof bowl, combine the finely diced spring onion and ginger. Add salt, granulated sugar, white pepper, and chicken bouillon powder.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Heat the neutral oil until very hot (it should shimmer and lightly smoke). Carefully pour the hot oil over the relish mixture. It will sizzle and release the aromatics. Mix well.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Remove the cooked chicken from the master stock. Slice the chicken into serving pieces. Serve the sliced chicken over a bed of steamed rice, accompanied by blanched bok choy. Top the chicken with a generous spoonful of the freshly made ginger and spring onion relish, and drizzle some of the master stock over the dish.
⏱️ 6 min - 13
To store the master stock for future use, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove all solids. Allow the strained stock to cool completely. Once cool, skim off the solidified layer of seasoned chicken fat (which can be saved for other uses). Pour the remaining master stock into a leak-proof freezer bag, label it, and freeze for future use.