Soy Sauce Chicken

Adapted from The Woks of Life.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 lb / 1.8 kg)
• 1/4 cup salt
• 2 tsp neutral oil
• 7 slices ginger
• 2 scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces and lightly smashed
• 3 whole star anise
• 3/4 cup Chinese rose wine (mei gui lu)
• 3/4 cup Shaoxing wine
• 2 cups light soy sauce
• 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 12 cups water

Basics

1. Bring chicken close to room temperature, clean and rinse well.
2. In a pot, heat oil and aromatics (ginger, scallion, star anise), then add wines.
3. Add soy sauces, sugar, salt, and water; simmer to build the braising liquid.
4. Lower chicken in carefully and keep it mostly submerged.
5. Maintain a gentle simmer, then cook covered until the chicken reaches safe doneness.
6. Rest the chicken before chopping and serving.
7. Spoon some braising liquid over the chicken when serving.