Soy Sauce Chicken

This easy recipe for baked soy sauce chicken is my nontraditional-yet-tasty interpretation of the classic recipe.

Marinate briefly, then bake the chicken for one hour at 350 degrees F, and your tasty dinner is ready!

This easy recipe for baked soy sauce chicken is wonderfully flavorful and definitely keeps things interesting around here! It's my own loose interpretation of the classic Chinese recipe. Not necessarily authentic, but very good.

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty chicken recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

• Soy sauce: I prefer reduced-sodium sauce. The traditional sauce is too salty, in my opinion. If you need this dish to be gluten-free, simply use an alternative.
• Rice vinegar: If you don't have any on hand, you can use white wine vinegar instead. I don't recommend using distilled white vinegar. It's too acidic.
• Avocado oil: This neutral-tasting oil has a high smoke point, making it ideal for cooking. You can use refined coconut oil instead if you wish.
• Honey: A small amount to balance out the other flavors.
• Minced garlic and minced ginger: Mince them yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar.
• Crushed red pepper flakes: They don't make the dish spicy; they just add an interesting layer of flavor.
• Chicken thighs: Similarly to this Moroccan Chicken recipe, I use bone-in skin-on thighs in this recipe.

Instructions

Making this version of baked soy sauce chicken is truly easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

• Mix all the ingredients except for the chicken. Pour into a large resealable plastic bag and add the chicken thighs.
• Marinate in the fridge for 1 hour, turning the bag midway.
• Bake until well browned and cooked through, about 1 hour at 350° F, basting the tops often.

Expert tip

I highly recommend that you marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour (and preferably 2 hours) prior to baking it. Marinating helps the tasty sauce penetrate the chicken and gives it great flavor.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:

• You can use a different chicken part such as chicken drumsticks or bone-in skin-on chicken breast.
• You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs and bake them for a shorter time - try 45 minutes and see if they're fully cooked.
• It's fine to replace the honey with a sugar-free alternative.

Serving suggestions

I usually serve this dish with cabbage stir fry - the flavors go really well together. It's also good with Chinese green beans or served on a bed of cauliflower rice. The "rice" works well to absorb the tasty pan juices.

Storing leftovers

The leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. They are delicious cold, or gently reheated in the microwave, covered, on 50% power.

Related recipes

👩🏻‍🍳 I aim to publish a new recipe once or twice a month. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.

Recipe Card

4.98 from 143 votes

Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Print Recipe

Baked Soy Sauce Chicken

An easy recipe for baked soy sauce chicken. Marinate briefly, then bake for one hour at 350 degrees F, and your tasty dinner is ready!

Prep Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 298kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Marinade:

• ▢ ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Chicken:

• ▢ 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb.)

Instructions

• Mix the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour into a large resealable plastic bag and add the chicken thighs. Place on a plate and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour, turning the bag midway. 
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the chicken thighs from the bag and arrange them in a baking dish large enough to accommodate them in a single layer. Pour the marinade on top and use your hands to massage it into the chicken thighs. 
• Bake until well browned and cooked through, about 1 hour, basting the tops with the cooking liquids every 20 minutes. Rinse the basting brush with warm soapy water after each use. 
• Remove from oven, baste one more time, and serve. 

Video

Notes

The nutrition info assumes that about half the marinade is consumed. 

While you can skip marinating the chicken, if you do, the soy sauce flavor won't be as pronounced. So I do recommend not skipping this step. 

Add Your Own Notes

Click here to add your own private notes. They're only visible to you. If you clear your browser's cache, they'll be lost.

Nutrition per Serving

Serving: 2chicken thighs | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 481mg | Sugar: 2g

SubscribeI aim to publish a new recipe once or twice a month. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.

DisclaimersMost of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

❤️ Let's connect! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.