Crispy Soy Chicken

Crispy Soy Chicken is the ultimate chicken dish the whole family will love. With super crispy skin and the perfect medley of sweet and savory flavors, it's delicious with steamed rice!

Chowking is one of my favorite places for Asian-inspired food. My weekly grocery trips to Seafood City often involve a stopover at the restaurant, which happens to be inside the supermarket, for a bowl of mami and a piece (or two) of siopao asado.

Although noodle bowls and dim sum are the regular staples, they do add seasonal offerings to their menu. I am a creature of habit and almost always order the same thing every time, but the photo of their new crispy soy chicken plate looked good I was tempted away from my usual soup and steamed bun combo.

I didn't regret this choice, as the soy sauce chicken far exceeded my expectations, with its golden and crisp skin and tasty and flavorful meat. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to replicate the delicious experience at home.

Guided by my taste buds, I created my crispy soy chicken a la Chowking. Infusing the chicken with my desired soy sauce flavors was easy enough, but how do I crisp the skin? I remembered my crispy pata, and following its method, I refrigerated the cooked chicken overnight to chill and dry before deep-frying in sizzling oil.

Woot hoot! S-U-C-C-E-S-S! The leg quarters were golden and crispy on the outside yet moist and flavorful on the inside!

Ingredient notes

• The recipe calls for leg quarters, but you can use a whole chicken or cut-up parts. Adjust cook times and use a thermometer to ensure the meat is fully cooked.
• Along with light soy sauce, I also added dark soy sauce, which has a thicker consistency and less salty but slightly sweeter taste than the regular variety.
• Aromatics such as ginger, garlic, and pepper add depth of flavor, while star anise and cinnamon bring a licorice taste with a hint of sweetness.
• Chicken stock or water to cover the chicken fully during poaching
• Chinese cooking wine, also known as Shaoxing wine. If unavailable, you can substitute with dry sherry, sake, mirin, or more chicken stock.
• Brown sugar balances the umami and salty taste with sweetness and molasses flavor.
• Use oil with a neutral taste and high smoke point, such as avocado, vegetable, safflower, or grapeseed oil.

Crispy soy chicken cooking process

1. Combine the poaching ingredients in a pot and boil until sugar is dissolved. Use a deep, narrow pot to use less liquid to cover the chicken completely.
2. Add chicken and simmer until a thermometer inserted in the center of the meat reads 165 F. The liquid should fully cover the chicken pieces. If not, regularly baste exposed areas with the liquid while simmering.
3. Drain the chicken from the liquid and pat dry. Arrange it in a single layer on a wire rack and keep it uncovered in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight to dry completely.
4. Heat oil in a wide, deep pan to 350 F. Add chicken and deep-fry until golden and crisp. After cooking in the soy sauce mixture, the chicken is cooked and ready to enjoy, and deep-frying is only to crisp up the skin. Ensure the oil is hot but not smoking so the skin will brown quickly without overcooking the meat.

How to serve and store

• Serve for lunch or dinner with steamed rice and atchara. Reduce the poaching liquid and use it as a sauce to spoon over the rice.
• To store leftovers, wrap individually in aluminum foil, place in resealable bags, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
• To reheat, arrange chicken in a single layer on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 F oven until crisp and heated.