Traditional Chinese Five Spice Chicken Recipes

CHINESE FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place the chicken pieces in a large dish or plastic bag.
• Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.
• Marinate refrigerated overnight or for 1 to 2 hours if time is short.
• Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and brush with the marinade.
• Cook uncovered in a preheated 350F (180C) oven, brushing once or twice with the marinade, until the chicken is done, about one hour.

GRILLED FIVE SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Score the skin side of each piece of chicken 2 to 3 times, about 1/8 inch deep.
• Whisk together the the juice of 1/2 lime, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, garlic, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, Chinese five-spice powder, 2 teaspoons hot chile paste, ginger, and soy sauce in a bowl. Pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, coat evenly with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken halves from the bag and transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Pat chicken pieces dry with more paper towels. Reserve marinade mixture in a small bowl.
• Whisk together the 1/3 cup rice vinegar, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon hot chile paste in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Grill chicken, skin-side down, on the preheated grill for 2 minutes. Turn each piece, brush with reserved marinade mixture, and move to indirect heat.
• Grill, brushing with glaze and turning ever 10-15 minutes, until well-browned and meat is no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes total. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
• Drizzle vinegar lime juice mixture over the chicken and serve.

FESTIVE GOLDEN FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk together the marinade ingredients, put the chicken into a dish, then pour over the marinade, mixing to coat. Cover, then chill for at least 20 mins, or up to a day if you have time.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, and lift the chicken out of the marinade into a roasting tin. Roast for 40 mins, pour over the remaining marinade, then cook for a further 30 mins until golden and sticky. Sprinkle with the spring onion, then serve.

CHINESE FIVE SPICE CHICKEN (五香烤鸡)

Steps:

• Place the chicken over a large tray with the breasts down and the legs towards you. Find its backbone in the middle. Use kitchen scissors/shears to cut along both sides of the backbone, separating it from the ribs (see images for reference in the post above).
• Flip over the chicken so that the breasts are facing up. Use the palm of your hand to firmly push the middle of the chicken until it's completely flattened.
• Pat dry the whole chicken with kitchen paper to remove any moisture.
• Mix salt, five spice powder, garlic powder and white pepper in a bowl. Rub half of the mixture over the cavity side.
• Flip over the chicken. Mix dark soy sauce and Shaoxing rice wine. Rub it over the skin side. Then spread the rest of the dry mix. Massage to evenly distribute.
• Leave to rest uncovered in the fridge overnight (12-24 hours).
• One hour before cooking, take the chicken out of the fridge and allow it to come back to room temperature.
• Preheat a fan-assisted oven at 390F°/200C°, or 425F°/220C° if using a conventional oven.
• Use a roasting tray with a wire rack that fits inside. Fill the tray with some water (lower than the rack) and put the chicken on the rack (skin facing up). Place the tray in the middle of the oven. Leave to cook for 15 minutes.
• Turn the oven down to 320F°/160C° (or 350F°/180C° if using a conventional oven). Continue cooking for a further 20 minutes. If your chicken is a little bigger or smaller, increase or reduce the time by 5 minutes or so (Check the water level in the tray and top up if necessary).
• Take out the chicken. Mix honey and soy sauce then brush a thin layer over the skin. Put back into the oven. Cook for another 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat back up to 390F°/200C° (or 425F°/220C° for a conventional oven). Take out the chicken and brush a second time. Roast for 5 more minutes to finish.
• Check the doneness (see footnote to learn how). Then take the chicken out and leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving into small pieces to serve.

BAKED CHINESE FIVE SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven for 400 degrees. Put together garlic, five spice, vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl. Mix together. Set aside.
• Wash, clean and pat dry chicken breasts. Place chicken in a large ziploc, pour and cover chicken breasts with five spice mixture. Marinade for 30minutes to overnight.
• Place chopped onions on a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Put chicken on top of the onions. Put it in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until chicken is tender and juice from chicken runs clear when pierced with knife. Chicken should be moist not dry.
• Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro and serve warm.
• Enjoy!

FABULOUS FIVE SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, blend the soy sauce, oil, sherry, shallots, garlic, ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, serrano pepper, brown sugar, anise, and salt until smooth. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour the blended mixture over the chicken, cover, and marinate at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Preheat grill for high heat.
• Lightly oil the grill grate. Discard marinade. Place chicken on the grill, and cook 10 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.

FIVE SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Slice chicken.
• Combine soy sauce, wine, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and 1 tsp of the 5 spice powder, and marinate chicken for at least 1 hour.
• Combine the remaining 5 spice powder with the flour and dredge the marinated chicken.
• Dip the dredged chicken in the eggs, then roll in the nuts.
• Heat the oil and cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side.

GOLDEN FIVE SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk together the marinade ingredients, put the chicken into a dish then pour over the marinade and mix to coat. Cover then chill for at least 20 minutes or up to a day if you have time.
• Heat the oven to 350F and lift the chicken out of the marinade into a roasting tin. Roast for 40 minutes, pour over the remaining marinade then cook for a further 30 minutes until golden and sticky.
• Sprinkle with the scallion and serve.

AUTHENTIC CHINESE FIVE SPICE ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• To make five-spice salt: Combine 5 tablespoons salt with 1 tablespoon five-spice seasoning. Place five spice salt in a dry skillet. Cook & stir over low heat 3-4 minutes.
• Rub salt mixture (1 teaspoon five spice salt per lb. of chicken) on inside and outside of chicken. Cover and refrigerate seasoned chicken for 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 500 F.
• Insert green onions into chicken cavity.
• Place chicken, breast side down, on a rack sprayed with nonstick cooking spray in a shallow roasting pan.
• Roast chicken for 35 minutes. Turn chicken over and continue roasting another 20-25 minutes or until chicken tests done. (Chicken skin should be crisp).
• Serve slices of chicken hot or chilled with plum sauce.