Soy Sauce Chicken (Si Yau Kai / See Yao Gai) is a classic, iconic quintessential American-Chinatown favorite. It is composed by gently poaching a whole chicken in an intoxicating soy sauce, filled with aromatics. As a result, the chicken becomes juicy and succulent; filled with an alluring, briny but sweet, umami taste. It is then cut up (Chinese-stye) to be served with, or over rice. #ftw

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

• 2-2.5 lbs. Organic Chicken (Heritage Chickens taste the best)
• 2 cups Light Soy Sauce
• 1 cup Mushroom Dark Soy Sauce
• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 8 cups Filtered Water
• 2 tbsp. Shao Xing Wine
• 2 tbsp. Kosher Salt
• 3 each Peels of Tangerine (or Orange)
• 3 each Bay Leaves
• 2 oz. Sliced Ginger
• 6 each Garlic Cloves
• 1 bunch Scallions
• ¼ tbsp. Spice Tribe Late Harvest Black Peppercorns
• 5 pods Spice Tribe Sun-Dried Star Anise
• 1 stick Spice Tribe True Ceylon Cinnamon

Add All Products

Directions

Make the Marinade

1. In a large 10 qt. pot, mix the light all of the 2 cups of Light Soy Sauce, 1 cup of Mushroom Dark Soy Sauce, 2 cups of Brown Sugar, and 8 cups of Filtered Water.
2. Then add 2 tbsp. Of Shao Xing Wine, 2 tbsp., of Kosher Salt, 3 each Tangerine Peels, 3 each Bay Leaves, 2 oz. of Sliced Ginger, 6 cloves of Garlic, 1 bunch of Scallions, and 2 tbsp. of Chinese Five Spice.
3. Bring the pot to a simmer. Mix the pot until the sugar is dissolve.
4. Take the pot off heat.
5. Allow the pot to completely cool to room temperature. 60 minutes]

Clean the Chicken

1. To prepare a whole chicken for cooking, place the chicken in a kitchen sink and remove the packing.
2. Drain any fluids from the packaging.
3. Since the chicken with cold water.
4. Place the chicken in a mixing bowl.
5. Use single-use paper towels to remove any excess liquid.
6. Dispose of the paper towels.
7. Sanitize your hands. And sanitize the kitchen sink.

Marinate the Chicken

1. Once the marinade has cooled off completely, add the cleaned chicken into the large pot with the marinade.
2. Allow the chicken to marinate for 6 hours in the refrigerator.

Poach the Chicken

1. Once your chicken has marinaded for 6 hours, place the large pot of marinade chicken, on to the stove.
2. Bring the pot a simmer, and keep it a soft simmer (190 F) for 25 minutes. Make sure to continually baste, and turn the chicken so that it poaches evenly.
3. After 25-35 minutes, turn off the heat. (Or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 F)
4. After you turn off the heat, keep the chicken in the braising liquid for 1 hour.
5. Then, gently remove the chicken with poultry hooks.
6. Place the chicken on a roast rack to rest, cool and dry for 30 minutes.

Serve

1. To serve, cut the chicken into small pieces and serve with rice. Reserve the braising liquid to season the rice.