Soy-Braised Chicken Wings

Tender chicken wings braised in a rich, aromatic sauce featuring dark and light soy sauce, Chinese five-spice, and traditional spices like star anise and Sichuan peppercorns. This classic Asian dish delivers deep umami flavors and a beautiful caramelized finish.

6 servings

1 hr 52 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 pieces ginger
•½ cup dark soy sauce
•2 tsp Five-Spice Powder
•22 pieces chicken wings
•3 Tbsp vegetable oil
•1 whole shallot
•3 whole scallions
•5 cloves garlic
•1 whole red chile
•3 oz Chinese rock sugar
•3 whole star anise
•2 pieces dried licorice root
•1 piece cassia stick
•¼ tsp white pepper
•¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
•½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
•¼ cup rice wine
•1 cup cucumbers

Cooking Instructions

1.
Mix half of ginger, 1/4 cup dark soy sauce, and 1 tsp. Five-Spice Powder in a medium bowl. Add wings; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
60 min
2.
Heat oil in a wok or large deep-sided skillet over medium-high. Add shallot, scallions, garlic, chile, and remaining ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rock sugar, star anise, licorice root (if using), cassia, white pepper (if using), Sichuan peppercorns, and remaining 1 tsp. Five-Spice Powder and stir to combine. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, remaining 1/4 cup dark soy sauce, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
10 min
3.
Lift chicken wings out of marinade; discard marinade. Add wings to wok and pour wine over. Stir gently, then bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low 15 minutes. Gently stir, then cover again and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through and a deep brown color, about 15 minutes longer. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer wings to a plate.
30 min
4.
Pour liquid in wok through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Return strained liquid to wok and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook until sauce thickly coats a spoon, 10-12 minutes. Return chicken wings to sauce and toss to coat. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to a platter. Serve with cucumbers if using.
12 min

Soy-Braised Chicken Wings

6 servings

1 hr 52 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 pieces ginger

•½ cup dark soy sauce

•2 tsp Five-Spice Powder

•22 pieces chicken wings

•3 Tbsp vegetable oil

•1 whole shallot

•3 whole scallions

•5 cloves garlic

•1 whole red chile

•3 oz Chinese rock sugar

•3 whole star anise

•2 pieces dried licorice root

•1 piece cassia stick

•¼ tsp white pepper

•¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorns

•½ cup low-sodium soy sauce

•¼ cup rice wine

•1 cup cucumbers

Cooking Instructions

Mix half of ginger, 1/4 cup dark soy sauce, and 1 tsp. Five-Spice Powder in a medium bowl. Add wings; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

60 min

Heat oil in a wok or large deep-sided skillet over medium-high. Add shallot, scallions, garlic, chile, and remaining ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rock sugar, star anise, licorice root (if using), cassia, white pepper (if using), Sichuan peppercorns, and remaining 1 tsp. Five-Spice Powder and stir to combine. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, remaining 1/4 cup dark soy sauce, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.

10 min

Lift chicken wings out of marinade; discard marinade. Add wings to wok and pour wine over. Stir gently, then bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low 15 minutes. Gently stir, then cover again and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through and a deep brown color, about 15 minutes longer. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer wings to a plate.

30 min

Pour liquid in wok through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Return strained liquid to wok and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook until sauce thickly coats a spoon, 10-12 minutes. Return chicken wings to sauce and toss to coat. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to a platter. Serve with cucumbers if using.

12 min