Chinese Five-Spice Chicken
This is my Chinese five spice chicken with glossy skin, juicy meat and so much umami. The juicy chicken is coated in a delicious sauce that is aromatic thanks to the use of Chinese five-spice! It smells amazing and tastes even better. It’s only 5-ingredients, so it's super easy to make - just marinate, bake, and enjoy! Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, especially if you've got an air fryer.
But what exactly is this five spice powder, I hear you ask? It's a unique blend of warming spices native to China, typically consisting of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds. The overall effect is a complex and intriguing mix of sweet, savoury, and slightly floral notes. When applied in cooking, it creates a truly irresistible flavour profile to meats like chicken and beef, and it's also sometimes used to make eggs as well!
Ingredients
- 1kg chicken thighs, boneless and preferably with skin
For marinating:
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (optional)
- 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1 clove garlic, minced
For basting:
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
Pair it with
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together in a large bowl and add the chicken thighs. Thoroughly massage the marinade all over. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
- When you’re ready to cook, choose one of the below cooking methods. While you wait for the chicken to cook, mix together the soy sauce and honey for basting.
- Oven: preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF and prep a roasting tray with aluminium foil to catch the juices while the chicken cooks. Place the marinated chicken on a on the tray, or preferably on a wire rack. Pour over any remaining marinade juices before placing the chicken in the oven and cook for 10–12 minutes, depending on the size of the thighs. Brush over the glaze and return the chicken to cook for another 5-7 minutes.
- To crisp up the skin, turn the oven to the grill (broiler) function for 5 minutes, until the chicken skin is glossy and sizzling.
- Airfryer: line your airfryer tray with aluminium foil and cook the chicken at 180°C/350ºF for 10 mins. Take out the chicken and baste with glaze then cook for another 3-4 mins. Check meat is cooked through as cooking times may differ due to size and thickness of chicken thighs.
- Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving. Slice and serve with steamed rice, pickled cucumber.
Video demonstration
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