An Island Staple: Shoyu Chicken

Aloha! Another week has come and gone in paradise. The sun continues to shine, the clear water of the ocean and the sandy beaches of Polynesia are just as warm and inviting as ever, and the intoxicating aroma of local foods still lingers in the air.

These foods are almost limitless in number. After all, what would paradise be on an empty stomach?! One of these foods is a particular favorite of mine and sports a delicious conglomeration of tastes: Shoyu Chicken.

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One of the great things about food in Hawaii is that it represents essentially all of the best tastes and culinary practices of the countries bordering the Pacific. Shoyu chicken is a great example of this. Shoyu is the Japanese word for “soy sauce.” Now a household favorite in the islands of Hawaii, and a must for the buffet table at any luau or social gathering, shoyu chicken was most likely the idea of Japanese immigrants who lived in Hawaii and experimented with combining local tastes and tastes from their homeland.

Other key ingredients of the dish include sugar, honey, chicken broth, and of course, chicken, all of which are often used individually to improve the taste of countless other dishes. When combined together, the ingredients make a truly satisfying main dish, one that you and your guests will go back for again and again.

One of the best parts about shoyu chicken is how easy it is to make. Some time is required to enjoy this delicacy, but it’s mostly taken up by marination. You’ll need the following:

3 lbs of fryer chicken
1 cup of soy sauce
½ cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of honey
½ cup of chicken broth
1 teaspoon of hoisin sauce
1 whole star anise, mashed
Chinese parsley and green onion garnishes.

Directions:

Steam chicken for 30 minutes
In a frying pan combine all other ingredients (except the garnishes) and simmer for about 15 minutes
Place steamed chicken in sauce and simmer for 5 minutes on each side.
Chop chicken, arrange, and add parsley and onion to garnish.

You can also choose to marinate the chicken first in a marinade using the soy sauce, sugar, garlic and ginger.

Enjoy!

Aloha Mixed Plate tangandbolster

The recipe serves about 6 people, and chances are that once those 6 people are fed, they’ll wish there was more chicken to be had. It goes best with rice, and many people enjoy it with macaroni salad. It really is delicious, and I whole-hardheartedly suggest that you give your taste buds and stomach the chance to agree with me.

Once again, mahalo for reading.

Peter

The original recipe can be found here: https://www.polynesia.com/shoyu-chicken.html

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