Growing up, one of my favorite comfort dishes was my dad’s version of chicken poached in soy sauce. That might sound gross to the uninitiated, but hear me out: Picture a tender, juicy, whole chicken poached in an intoxicating blend of dark soy sauce, rock sugar, spices, and aromatic Chinese rose wine. It’s like Hainanese chicken went on vacation to umami town, took a spa day, and came back with a honey sweet tan.—the many roasted and braised meats you can find in cheap Hong Kong eateries.
But you know what? In a pinch, Coca-Cola worked really well. Sweet, tangy, with notes of citrus, caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla, Coke was a solid substitute for the classic ingredients used in soy sauce chicken. You didn’t need to dissolve huge chunks of rock sugar and you didn’t need magic tangerine peels, so, yes, Coca-Cola chicken wasn’t an exact copy of the original. But I’ll be damned if it wasn’t as close as you could get.
He keeps a tome of his own homespun recipes. Full of Post-its and peppered with grease stains and dog-eared pages, it’s written in an indecipherable mix of Chinese and English chicken scratchings. It’s the sort of text that would be a treasure to find in a distant future: a glimpse into a period of unfettered tinkering and innovation, a catalogue of decades of trial and error.In my early trials, I was often unhappy with the mottled appearance and uneven coloration of the chicken skin.
Once everything is nice and toasty, I add all the liquid. In addition to Coca-Cola, Chinese dark soy sauce is essential. It provides a deep, rich color and proper salinity to the dish. And while Coca-Cola is sweet, it isn't viscous enough to adhere to and fully lacquer the chicken on its own. Due to its limited availability, I don’t use rock sugar; I use honey for viscosity instead.
I settled on two methods. My preferred method, which my dad calls the"simmer-and shut," involves a brief 20-minute bare simmer, after which the heat gets shut off and the chicken gradually comes to temperature in the hot poaching liquid. The post-simmer rest gives the chicken ample time to absorb the liquid, which also colors the exterior. The resulting meat is juicy and tender, but with a slight bite that’s more typical of soy sauce chicken.
Did you know that Cows, Chickens and Pigs are GOOD beings and that it’s EVIL to participate in the cycle of abuse and murder of them for pleasure? Now that you know that, if you ever buy or sell products made from them again, you will become pure evil and never be good!
Maybe a silly question, but would a U.K. Coca Cola still work here? Ours doesn’t contain corn syrup and wonder if the texture of the sauce requires that perhaps.
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My mother (born in Rangoon, Burma / Yangon, Myanmar) has made this dish for years. Never heard of anybody else making it. It's delicious!
I can't believe no one commented on what a beautifully -written article this is: a wonderful blend of cooking diligence and life story. And yes I went out and bought a chicken, and some dried tangerine peel. Couldn't find the rose wine, alas. Thanks!!
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