Five Spice Chinese Chicken (Printable)
Golden roasted chicken thighs with aromatic Chinese five spice marinade
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.2 lbs)
→ Marinade
02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon honey
05 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
06 - 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
07 - 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
→ Garnish (optional)
11 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
12 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
# How-To Steps:
01 - Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, five spice powder, minced garlic, grated ginger, and white pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the bowl, turning to coat evenly with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor development.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
04 - Place marinated chicken thighs on prepared tray skin-side up. Spoon excess marinade over the top of each piece.
05 - Roast for 35–40 minutes until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and skin is golden brown. For extra crispy skin, broil for 2–3 minutes at the end of cooking time.
06 - Remove from oven and let chicken rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve hot with steamed rice.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The marinade does all the heavy lifting, transforming simple chicken thighs into something that tastes like it came from a restaurant
- Five spice powder creates this incredible warm aromatic flavor profile that people instantly recognize but cant quite place
02 -
- I once skipped the resting step and the juices ran everywhere, leaving the chicken noticeably drier, so do not skip this crucial 5 minute waiting period
- The skin needs to be exposed to dry heat to get crispy, so resist the urge to cover the chicken while it rests or the steam will make it soggy
03 -
- If your chicken is browning too quickly before its cooked through, tent it loosely with foil for the remainder of the cooking time
- Line your baking tray with foil under the parchment for absolutely effortless cleanup since the honey in the marinade can get sticky