Soy Sauce Chicken

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• Step 1

  In a large bowl, place the chicken legs and pour in the dark soy sauce and sprinkle the white pepper. Toss or rub everything so the legs are evenly coated. Let this sit while you prepare the other ingredients (about 10 minutes is fine).

  • 4 chicken legs (800 g)skin-on
    (or thighs)
  • 4 tbsp dark soy sauce (60 g)
  • ½ tsp white pepper (1.5 g)
• Step 2

  Prepare the aromatics: Roughly chop the ginger, garlic and shallot. For the green onions, cut each into 3 lengthwise strips.

  • 5 slice ginger (15 g)roughly chopped
  • 2 bulb garlic (60 g)roughly chopped
  • 3 small shallots (30 g)roughly chopped
  • 2 stalk green onions (30 g)sliced
• Step 3

  Heat a wok or large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and rock sugar. Stir continuously until the sugar melts and turns a light caramel colour (about 1-2 minutes).

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 g)
  • 3 tbsp rock sugar (40 g)broken into small pieces
• Step 4

  Add the green onions (the full stalks), the chopped ginger, garlic and shallot into the caramel-oil mixture. Stir for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and lightly softened.

  • 2 stalk green onions (30 g)sliced
  • 5 slice ginger (15 g)roughly chopped
  • 2 bulb garlic (60 g)roughly chopped
  • 3 small shallots (30 g)roughly chopped
• Step 5

  Carefully place the chicken legs into the pot, skin-side down if they have skin. Let them sear for about 2 minutes. Then pour in the remaining marinade, the light soy sauce, the Shaoxing wine, the water, and add the whole cloves, star anise and the cinnamon stick.

  • 4 chicken legs (800 g)skin-on
    (or thighs)
  • 4 tbsp light soy sauce (60 g)
  • 4 tbsp shaoxing wine (60 g)
  • 2 cup water (480 g)
  • 5 cloves (10 g)
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick (5 g)
• Step 6

  Bring the liquid to a gentle boil. Once it’s bubbling, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Let the chicken braise for about 30-35 minutes (depending on leg size), flipping the legs roughly halfway through so they cook evenly.
• Step 7

  When the chicken is cooked (meat is tender and internal temperature about 75 °C/165 °F), remove the chicken and set it aside to rest for a few minutes. Strain the sauce to remove the aromatics and whole spices, returning the liquid to the pot.
• Step 8

  Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with an equal amount of the strained sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Bring the sauce back to low heat, slowly stir in the slurry and simmer until the sauce thickens (about 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat.

  • 2 tbsp cornstarch (20 g)
• Step 9

  Slice or shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Arrange on a plate, pour the thickened sauce over the chicken, and serve hot with steamed rice. Enjoy!