Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Braised Soya Sauce Chicken

A Singapore-style braised soya sauce chicken — tender poached/braised chicken simmered in fragrant soy, aromatics and warm spices, perfect for a heartland family meal.

Braised Soya Sauce Chicken

About this dish

Braised Soya Sauce Chicken is a comforting Singapore Chinese classic that you’ll see at zi char stalls, home dinners and casual hawker-style eateries across the island. The bird is gently braised in a glossy sauce of light and dark soy, rock sugar and aromatics until the meat is silky and infused with a slightly sweet, savoury glaze — the sort of homely, saucy dish that pairs effortlessly with a bowl of piping hot rice from your rice cooker.

This recipe suits busy Singapore households: it’s forgiving to cook and scales well for family-style sharing at dinner, potlucks or even reunion meals during CNY when everyone wants something familiar on the table. Use a whole small chicken for a dinner centrepiece or bone-in thighs for an easier weeknight version; the method is the same — a short poach to seal juices followed by a slow braise to develop deep soy flavours, like the comforting plates served in East Coast kopitiams and Chinatown zi char spots.

Expect a flavour profile of savoury-sweet soy with warm notes from star anise and cinnamon, brightened by fresh ginger and spring onion. Texturally, the skin should be glossy and slightly sticky while the meat remains tender and juicy. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and fresh coriander or sliced chilli padi for heat — a small local twist that lifts the dish and nods to Singapore’s love for bold condiments.

Ingredients

  • 1 small whole chicken (about 1.2–1.5 kg) or 1.2 kg bone-in chicken thighs
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 2 tbsp rock sugar or 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 400 ml water or low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 thumb (30 g) ginger, thickly sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 small cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)
  • 2 stalks spring onion (scallion), trimmed and tied into a knot
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1–2 red bird’s eye chillies (chilli padi), sliced, optional for garnish
  • Handful fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves for garnish
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or peanut) for searing
  • 1 tsp white pepper, or to taste
  • Optional: 1 tbsp dark caramelised soy (kecap manis) for deeper colour if desired

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Prepare the chicken: rinse and pat dry. If using a whole chicken, tuck the wings and truss lightly or leave as preferred. Season inside and out with 1/2 tsp white pepper and a pinch of salt.
  2. Heat a large wok or wide pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp neutral oil, then brown the chicken skin-side down for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden to seal flavours; turn to brown the other side briefly. Remove and set aside.
  3. In the same wok, reduce heat to medium. Add sliced ginger and smashed garlic, stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant but not burned. Add star anise and cinnamon and toast for another 20 seconds to release aroma.
  4. Pour in Shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits, then add light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, rock sugar and 400 ml water or stock. Stir to dissolve sugar and bring to a gentle simmer. Taste carefully and adjust balance — more light soy for salt, a pinch more sugar for sweetness, like at a zi char stall.
  5. Return the chicken to the wok, breast-side down. Add the tied spring onion. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to gentle braise. Partially cover and simmer for 30–35 minutes (for whole chicken) or 20–25 minutes for thighs, turning the chicken once halfway through to coat in sauce.
  6. Check doneness by cutting between the thigh and breast — juices should run clear and an internal temperature should reach 75°C. If the skin is too pale, increase heat briefly and spoon hot braising liquid over the chicken to glaze and deepen colour.
  7. Remove the chicken and rest for 10 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, turn up the heat and reduce the braising liquid for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened into a glossy sauce. Finish with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil.
  8. Carve the chicken into serving pieces, pour a little of the reduced sauce over the meat and garnish with sliced chilli padi and coriander. Serve immediately with steamed white rice, a bowl of clear soup and pickled vegetables like achar for contrast.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy ingredients from local supermarkets like NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or Sheng Siong — light and dark soy, Shaoxing wine and rock sugar are common on the shelves.
  • Use bone-in thighs if you prefer a quicker, fuss-free weeknight version; a whole chicken makes a nicer presentation for weekend family dinners or CNY.
  • Control the saltiness by starting with less light soy and adjusting at the braising stage; dark soy adds colour more than salt.
  • If you like a glossy gravy, remove the chicken to rest and reduce the braising liquid over high heat until slightly syrupy, then pour over the carved pieces.
  • For extra aroma, add a few slices of pandan leaf during the braise (a local twist) or finish with a spoonful of toasted sesame oil and freshly cracked white pepper.
  • Make-ahead: the chicken keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days and the flavours deepen — reheat gently over low heat to avoid drying out.
  • To reduce bitterness from dark soy, stir in a teaspoon of sugar when tasting, or balance with a splash of Shaoxing wine or rice vinegar if needed.

You might also like

More recipes to save for later.