Soy Sauce Chicken (Si Yau Kai / See Yao Gai)

Chef Notes

Ingredients

Steps

Soy Sauce Chicken (Si Yau Kai / See Yao Gai)

Chef notes

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

Ingredients

Prep time: 45 Min Mins
Cook time: 1 H & 30 Min Mins
Serves: 4

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
½ tbsp. Spice Tribe Aegean Fennel Seeds
¼ tbsp. Spice Tribe Highland Cloves

Late Harvest Black Peppercorns

$10

Add to Cart

Sun Dried Star Anise

$10

Add to Cart

True Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks

$10

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Steps

Step 1 - Make the Marinade

Step 2 -

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.

Step 3 -

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.

Step 4 -

Bring the pot to a simmer. Mix the pot until the sugar is dissolve.

Step 5 -

Take the pot off heat.

Step 6 -

Allow the pot to completely cool to room temperature. [60 minutes]

Step 7 - Clean the Chicken

To prepare a whole chicken for cooking, place the chicken in a kitchen sink and remove the packing.

Step 8 -

Drain any fluids from the packaging.

Step 9 -

Since the chicken with cold water.

Step 10 -

Place the chicken in a mixing bowl.

Step 11 -

Use single-use paper towels to remove any excess liquid.

Step 12 -

Dispose of the paper towels.

Step 13 -

Sanitize your hands. And sanitize the kitchen sink.

Step 14 - Marinate the Chicken

Once the marinade has cooled off completely, add the cleaned chicken into the large pot with the marinade.

Step 15 -

Allow the chicken to marinate for 6 hours in the refrigerator.

Step 16 - Poach the Chicken

Once your chicken has marinaded for 6 hours, place the large pot of marinade chicken, on to the stove.

Step 17 -

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.

Step 18 -

After 25-35 minutes, turn off the heat. (Or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 F)

Step 19 -

After you turn off the heat, keep the chicken in the braising liquid for 1 hour.

Step 20 -

Then, gently remove the chicken with poultry hooks.

Step 21 -

Place the chicken on a roast rack to rest, cool and dry for 30 minutes.

Step 22 - Serve

Step 23 -

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

Things to remember

In observance of the week of Tết, it is standard practice to prepare foods prior to Tết that will last the Lunar New Year week; it’s custom to not cook or work during this period. Naturally, the generations-old Vietnamese/Chinese preparations that kept well from being spoiled have evolved to be Tết’s staple dishes: thit kho bo (braised beef stew), bánh tét (savory sticky rice roll), crispy pork belly, and roasted ducks. Soy sauce chicken being the favorite in family.
Even though Soy Sauce Chicken can be enjoyed anytime of year. It’s particularly special, “when served during [Lunar] New Year celebrations, [as it] signifies unity.” – @genevievefyam