Asian Five-Spice Chicken Recipe

Asian Five-Spice Chicken

Asian five-spice chicken has deep savory flavor, browned skin, and juicy meat with very little hands-on work. The soy sauce, garlic, onion, and five-spice powder give the chicken plenty of flavor while it roasts.

The method is simple: mix one marinade, let the chicken rest while the oven heats, then roast on a lined sheet pan. Because the marinade is dark, use temperature and texture to judge doneness rather than color alone.

Ingredients for Asian Five-Spice Chicken

• 3 to 4 pounds bone-in chicken thighs or leg quarters (about 1.35 to 1.8 kg)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (60g)
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (about 75g)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (30g)
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry cooking sherry (30g)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Optional for serving: sliced scallions, sesame seeds, or 1 to 2 teaspoons honey or brown sugar added to the marinade for a slightly sweeter finish.

Bone-in, skin-on thighs or leg quarters work best here because they stay juicier in the oven and brown better. Boneless thighs can work, but start checking them earlier.

How to Make Asian Five-Spice Chicken

1. Mix the marinade: In a large bowl, stir together the soy sauce, five-spice powder, red onion, garlic, neutral oil, Shaoxing wine or sherry, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper.
2. Coat the chicken: Add the chicken and turn to coat well. If using skin-on pieces, loosen the skin where you can and rub a little marinade underneath.
3. Marinate: Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight. If marinating for several hours, turn the chicken once so it stays evenly coated.
4. Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
5. Arrange the chicken: Lift the chicken from the bowl and place it on the pan in a single layer, leaving a little space between the pieces. Let excess marinade drip off so the chicken roasts instead of steams.
6. Roast: Roast for 25 to 35 minutes, until the skin is starting to brown and the chicken is mostly cooked through. If your oven browns unevenly, rotate the pan or flip the pieces once halfway through.
7. Finish cooking: Roast for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the thickest part reaches 165°F without touching the bone. The juices should run clear, and the meat should no longer look pink near the bone. Start checking early if the pieces are small, and allow more time for large leg quarters.
8. Broil if needed: If the skin needs more color or crispness, broil for 1 to 3 minutes at the end. Watch closely, since the soy sauce, garlic, and any added sweetener can burn quickly.
9. Rest and serve: Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Top with scallions or sesame seeds if you like, and serve with rice and a simple vegetable.

How to Keep the Skin Crisp

The biggest help is spacing the chicken well on the pan. If the pieces are crowded or sitting in too much marinade, the skin stays soft.

Use only the marinade clinging to the chicken, not a pool of extra liquid on the pan. A wire rack over the sheet pan can help with airflow, but it is optional.

How to Tell When the Chicken Is Done

The marinade makes the outside look dark early, so color is not the best guide here. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer and look for 165°F.

• The juices should run clear.
• The meat should not look pink near the bone.
• The skin may brown before the inside is fully cooked, so check the largest pieces first.

What to Serve with Asian Five-Spice Chicken

Steamed white rice or jasmine rice makes an easy base for this chicken. For vegetables, keep the sides simple so the five-spice flavor stays the focus.

• Stir-fried cabbage
• Broccoli
• Bok choy
• Green beans

For another easy chicken dinner with a sauce, try Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken.

How to Store and Reheat Asian Five-Spice Chicken

Let the chicken cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you are storing it with rice, keep the rice separate when possible so it does not turn soggy.

To reheat, warm the chicken covered in a 325°F oven until heated through, or microwave in short intervals. If it seems a little dry, add a small splash of water or broth before reheating.

For make-ahead prep, marinate the chicken overnight and roast it the next day. If you want another simple chicken recipe with similar flavors, try Easy Healthy Sesame Chicken.

Nutrition

Nutrition is approximate and will vary based on the chicken pieces used, rendered fat, marinade left in the bowl, and serving size.

• Serving size: about 1/4 of the recipe
• Calories: about 550
• Protein: 42g
• Fat: 39g
• Carbohydrates: 5g
• Per 100g: about 210 calories, 16g protein, 15g fat, 2g carbohydrates