Oyster Sauce Chicken (蚝油焖鸡)

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• About the dish
• Ingredients
• Cooking process
• Serving ideas
• Other popular chicken dishes
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About the dish

Braising is one of the most popular cooking methods in Chinese cuisine. Soy Sauce Chicken, Scallion Chicken Chops, and Lemon Chicken are classic examples. Today’s recipe, Oyster Sauce Chicken (Háo Yóu Mèn Jī/蚝油焖鸡), is another one well worth trying.

It features tender, flavorful chicken coated with a thick brown sauce that stars oyster sauce (Háo Yóu/蚝油), a kitchen staple that lends a rich umami flavor to both meat and vegetable dishes, such as Oyster Sauce Lettuce and Oyster Sauce Gai Lan.

Ingredients

Apart from chicken, this recipe calls for common aromatics and a set of basic Chinese condiments. Here is a detailed list:

Chicken

For oyster sauce chicken, Chinese cooks usually use bone-in, skin-on chicken that is chopped into bite-sized pieces. I prefer whole chicken thigh pieces as they’re easier to handle. Other flavorful cuts, such as wings, drumsticks, or leg quarters, are good substitutes. I don’t recommend you use breasts as they’re not suitable for braising.

Condiments

To season the dish, you’ll need oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, sugar, and white pepper. This combination creates an umami-rich savory taste with a subtle hint of sweetness.

🌟 NOTE: To make this dish seafood-free, you can replace the regular oyster sauce with a vegetarian version, such as the mushroom vegetarian stir-fry sauce by the popular condiment brand Lee Kum Kee.

Aromatics

Ginger, garlic, and scallions are used to enhance the aroma of the dish. Optionally, add a few dried chili peppers for a mild heat kick.

Cooking process

Step 1: Sear the chicken

Add a little cooking oil to a skillet and heat it up. Then lay in the chicken thighs, along with whole garlic cloves and sliced ginger.

Sear the chicken over medium heat until the side facing down browns a little. Flip over all the pieces to fry the other side.

Step 2: Braise the chicken

While the first step is in process, mix all the condiments with some hot water. Pour it into the skillet once the chicken turns lightly golden on both sides. Add dried chili peppers if you’re using them.

Cover the skillet with a tight lid and leave to simmer over medium-low heat. After 15 minutes, flip the chicken pieces over and cover to braise for a further 10 minutes.

🌟 NOTE: If you are using chicken wings, drumsticks, or leg quarters instead of thighs, you’ll need to reduce or prolong the cooking time based on the size of the pieces. Use a kitchen thermometer if unsure, poke into the thickest part and the temperature should be over 165 °F(74 °C).

Step 3: Thicken the sauce

Remove the lid and turn the heat up to high. Let the sauce bubble up intensely so that some water from the sauce evaporates.

Once you get the desired consistency of the sauce — thick enough to coat a spatula, turn off the heat. For your reference, it took me about 3 minutes for this process. Watch attentively to avoid burning.

🌟 NOTE: Unlike some stir-fries or dishes using skinless chicken, you don’t need cornstarch to thicken the sauce. The collagen in the chicken skin, connective tissues, and cartilage will make the sauce thick.

Serving ideas

Here are some dishes that pair well with oyster sauce chicken:

• Vegetables: Garlic Bok Choy, Ginger Spinach, Tiger Skin Peppers, Hot & Sour Cabbage, Cucumber Salad, etc.
• Staples: Steamed Rice, Soy Sauce Noodles, Steamed Bao, Yang Chun Noodles, etc.

Other popular chicken dishes

If you wish to cook more delicious Chinese dishes made with chicken, check out these popular recipes:

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