Shoyu Chicken
This classic Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken features tender, bone-in thighs braised in a savory-sweet sauce of shoyu, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. The chicken becomes fall-off-the-bone tender while the sauce reduces to a perfect glossy glaze.
Equipment
- Staub 7-Qt Cocotte
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 – 3 pounds)
- 1 cup water
- ⅔ cup shoyu
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 3 inch piece ginger, finely chopped or grated
- cornstarch slurry optional
Instructions
- Whisk the water, shoyu, dark brown sugar, green onions, garlic, and ginger together in a bowl until the sugar is mostly dissolved. The mixture should smell sweet, salty, and sharp from the fresh aromatics.
- Pour the braising liquid into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with a lid, then add the chicken thighs and settle them into the liquid as much as possible. If you want a little more skin texture, brown the thighs skin-side down in the pot first until they are deep golden brown, not burnt, then add the liquid.
- Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. The chicken is ready when it is tender enough to pull from the bone with a fork and the thickest part reaches 165°F for cooked chicken.
- Lift the chicken out once it is cooked through and keep it nearby while you finish the sauce. If there is a lot of fat floating on top, skim some off for a cleaner, less greasy glaze.
- Turn the heat to high and boil the sauce for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it reduces as much as you like. It should thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon, and this is the time to taste for sweetness or saltiness before it goes further.
- For crispier skin, heat the broiler to high with a rack about 6 inches below the heat, transfer the chicken to a small baking sheet, and broil for 4 to 5 minutes, turning the pan halfway through. The skin should look crispy and caramelized at the edges while the sauce finishes reducing on the stove.
Notes
Sauce Tip: Use low-sodium shoyu to better control the saltiness, as the sauce will reduce and become more concentrated during cooking.
Crispy Skin: The optional broiler step at the end adds a delicious crispy and caramelized texture to the chicken skin, providing a great contrast to the tender meat.
Thickening the Sauce: If your sauce isn't thickening enough from boiling, a cornstarch slurry can be whisked in as a quick fix to achieve a glossy, spoon-coating consistency.
Storage: Store leftovers with the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The flavors often meld and taste even better the next day.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.