Shoyu Chicken

September: National Chicken Month

Shoyu (soy sauce) chicken is considered a comfort food in Hawaii, whether served as a plate lunch or as one of the main dishes at a luau or banquet buffet. This slightly sweet Japanese-inspired recipe was adapted from Islander’s intermediate school’s home economics class. It is so easy to cook—even an eighth grader can do it (Islander’s family and friends often refer to this dish as “the eighth grade chicken”)! Make shoyu chicken for a simple celebration of National Chicken Month.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 4-6 chicken thighs
• ¾ cup soy sauce (we used Aloha Shoyu brand)
• ½ cup brown sugar (we used C&H brand golden brown)
• ½ cup water
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 piece ginger
• 1 stalk green onions

Directions

Peel and crush one clove of garlic. Cut about a large thumb-size piece of ginger. Half it lengthwise, then crush the ginger pieces to release the juices. Pour the soy sauce, brown sugar and water in a large pot. Add the crushed garlic and ginger. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer for five minutes. Add the chicken thighs, bring to a boil, cover the pot and simmer at medium heat for 30-40 minutes.

During cooking time, turn the chicken over several times until evenly browned. Thinly slice the tops of the green onion. Reserve it as a garnish. Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving bowl. Skim off the grease from the sauce in the pot and discard the garlic and ginger. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with green onions. Serve hot with scoops of steamed white rice.