Five Spice Chinese Chicken (Printable)

Fragrant Chinese-spiced chicken roasted to golden perfection with garlic and soy 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

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, five spice powder, minced garlic, grated ginger, and white pepper to create the marinade.
02 - Add the chicken thighs to the bowl, turning to coat evenly. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil.
04 - Arrange the marinated chicken thighs skin-side up on the prepared tray. Spoon some extra marinade over the top.
05 - Roast for 35–40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F) and the skin is golden brown. For crispier skin, broil for an additional 2–3 minutes at the end.
06 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve hot.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade does all the heavy lifting, turning inexpensive chicken thighs into something that tastes takeout worthy but better
  • That five spice aroma creates the kind of cozy atmosphere that makes people linger in your kitchen asking whats for dinner
02 -
  • Marinating overnight transforms this from good to incredible as the spices really work their way into the meat
  • The skin releases a lot of fat during roasting, so lining your pan with parchment saves you from scrubbing later
03 -
  • Pat the chicken skin completely dry before marinating to help it crisp up properly in the oven
  • Let the chicken rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before roasting for more even cooking

Go Back