Soy Sauce Chicken With Shiitake Mushrooms

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
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Updated on 06/28/21
Red Cooked Soy Sauce Chicken

Sodanie Chea / Flickr / CC
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
527 Calories
30g Fat
24g Carbs
42g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 527
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g 38%
Saturated Fat 8g 39%
Cholesterol 208mg 69%
Sodium 2397mg 104%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 42g
Vitamin C 5mg 25%
Calcium 57mg 4%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 851mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This is a warming dish for cold winter nights. This recipe calls for cooking the chicken in a large saucepan and uses heart-healthy olive oil. However, you can also cook the chicken in a wok and use vegetable or peanut oil.

This is a variation on traditional soy sauce chicken, with the marinade doing double duty as a sauce. If you are looking for a more authentic version of this dish, try our spicy soy sauce chicken or ​cold cooked chicken.

The preparation time does not include the time for marinating the chicken.

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce

  • 1/3 cup water

  • 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce

  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry

  • 1 1/2 green onions, washed and finely chopped

  • 3 slices ginger

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

For the Chicken:

  • 4 skinless chicken thighs

  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, or vegetable oil

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, or white pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Mix together the marinade ingredients. Make 2 or 3 diagonal cuts on each side of the chicken thighs. Place the thighs in a large resealable plastic bag and add the marinade. (Use 2 bags and split the marinade in half if necessary.) Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 4 hours or longer, moving the bag occasionally to make sure all the thighs are coated in the marinade. Remove the chicken and reserve the marinade.

  2. While the chicken is marinating, soften the dried shiitake mushrooms by soaking in hot water for about 30 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water. Cut off the stems and cut the caps in half.

  3. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned, turning over once. Add the onion and saute until softened (about 5 minutes). At the same time, you are browning the chicken and cooking the onions, bring the reserved marinade to boil in a small saucepan. Boil the marinade for 5 minutes.

  4. Add the marinade and the dried mushrooms to the chicken and onions. Season with salt and freshly ground black or white pepper if desired. Simmer, uncovered, on low heat for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, adding water if needed. Serve soy sauce chicken hot over steamed rice.