5 spice shoyu chicken: chicken thighs braised in a shoyu sauce topped with green onions

Shoyu chicken is a popular dish in Hawaiian cuisine influenced by Japanese cooking techniques. This dish is known for its tender, succulent meat and savory sweet sauce, making it a favorite comfort food amongst locals and visitors alike. my version adds Chinese 5 spice, bringing this recipe to another level!

I’ll never forget…

The first time I tried Shoyu Chicken I was in my senior year of college in Orlando, Florida. A family friend (born and raised in Hawaii) made it for me. I was completely blown away by the intensity of the flavor and the tenderness of the chicken. I’d never had anything like it. Even though I grew up eating Japanese dishes like Sukiyaki, Shoyu Chicken had a richer, sweeter flavor enhanced by a good amount of sugar, ginger, garlic, and onions. She told me how easy it was to prepare, and I’ve been making it ever since.

Shoyu Chicken is essentially chicken thighs braised in a sauce consisting of some aromatics: onion, garlic, ginger and a sauce with a 1:1:1 ratio of shoyu(Japanese soy sauce), sugar, and water. The longer you let the chicken thighs braise for, the more tender the meat will be. I prefer to use skinless bone-in chicken thighs but you can use boneless as well. I find that bone-in makes for a more tender and succulent meat.

Over the years I’ve perfected my recipe to add in some Chinese 5 Spice seasoning for an extra burst of flavor. I’ve now lived in Hawaii for Over 13 Years and everyone I’ve made my 5 Spice Shoyu Chicken for, said it’s the best they’ve ever had. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

a bottle of Chinese Five Spice Blend from McCormick Gourmet — I really like the Chinese 5 Spice Blend by McCormick. You can purchase from Amazon in the link above or find it at your local grocery store. *I am not affiliated or paid to promote this product.

Ingredients!

A pot with Shoyu chicken sauce which consists of Shoyu, ginger, garlic, and onions

2 lbs skinless bone-in chicken thighs
1 onion sliced
8 cloves garlic minced
2 inch knob of ginger
2 tablespoons neutral oil
1 cup shoyu( soy sauce)
1 cup sugar( granulated or cane)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon 5 spice powder
Chopped green onion and sesame seeds for garnish(optional)

Substitutions:

Shoyu/Soy Sauce- For a gluten free sauce the best substitute would be Tamari. You can use 1:1 substitute here.
Sugar- for 1 cup of sugar you can use a few different things: 2/3 cup of honey, 2/3 cup agave, or 1 cup of coconut sugar.

Instructions:

Chicken thighs braising in a shoyu based sauce with onions, ginger and garlic.

Clean the chicken thighs and set aside.
Prepare the aromatics: slice the onion, mince the garlic, peel and cut the ginger into 2, 1 inch pieces. Slice one of the gingers into 1/2 cm pieces, set aside the other half to grate into the sauce.
Over medium heat, add the oil to a large saute pot. Add in the aromatics and grate the remaining piece of ginger into the pot. Saute for 1-2 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Be careful not to over cook as they will finish cooking in the braising process.
Add in the shoyu, sugar, water, and 5 spice seasoning. Mix to combine.
Place the chicken thighs in the sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer (medium-low) and cover for 45 minutes – 1 hour until they are fall off the bone tender. Stir ocassionally. (The longer you let the chicken thighs braise for the more tender they will become.)
Serve 5 Spice Shoyu Chicken over a bed of rice and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

A white bowl containing rice and two pieces of shoyu chicken thighs garnished with green onions.

Sooooo Delicious!