1. Pat it dry, rub it with salt, rinse, and dry it again. Then, slather on some dark soy sauce and let it sit for at least 60 minutes. This helps with color and flavor.
2. Heat up a pot, throw in garlic, shallots/onion, ginger, cinnamon, and star anise, and let everything get nice and fragrant.
3. Add water, both soy sauces, five-spice powder, sugar, and spring onions. Bring it to life with a good stir.
4. Drop it in, lift it out, dunk it back, do this a few times so the inside gets seasoned, too.
5. Then let it simmer (30 minutes), flipping now and then, and ladling the sauce over everything every 10 minutes, so every inch gets coated in that dark, savory sauce.
6. Crank up the heat to thicken things up (10 minutes), then pull the chicken out and brush it with honey and Shaoxing. Let it rest (if you can wait), then carve it up.
7. Serve it with rice, drizzle on some of that sauce, and get ready for compliments. Because honestly? This might be the best soy sauce chicken you’ve ever made.

What Makes It So Good?

• The marinade works its way into every bite, thanks to a simple dunking trick.
• A slow simmer lets all those flavors soak in while keeping the meat tender.
• That final brush of honey and Shaoxing wine? Pure gold. It gives the chicken that signature shine and just a hint of sweetness.