This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
If you’ve never had Taiwanese-style soy-marinated chicken, you’re in for a treat. This version is extra savory, just a little sweet, and packed with bold flavor—thanks to one secret: thick soy sauce.
In Taiwan, this glossy, garlicky sauce is a kitchen essential. It clings to the meat, caramelizes beautifully, and gives the chicken that signature golden finish—all without needing anything extra on the side.
Never used it before? No problem—I’ve got an easy homemade version using simple pantry staples. Serve the chicken over rice for a cozy weeknight dinner, or dress it up with steamed wrappers and cucumber for something a little more fun.
Main Ingredient Notes
- Boneless, skin-on chicken thighs: The skin crisps up beautifully and adds flavor, while the dark meat stays juicy. Boneless makes it quicker to cook and easier to slice.
(You can also use skinless thighs—just reduce the cooking time slightly.)
- Taiwanese thick soy sauce (醬油膏): A glossy, savory-sweet soy sauce thickened with flour, light and dark soy sauces, garlic, five-spice powder, and brown sugar. It adds depth and a slightly caramelized flavor that’s essential to this dish. See my homemade version here.
How to make soy sauce marinated chicken (Taiwanese style)
- Score the chicken for better flavor and make thick soy sauce
Make a few shallow cuts on the meaty side. This helps the marinade soak in and the chicken cook more evenly.
- Coat well with thick soy sauce
Place the chicken in a container and pour the marinade over. Toss to coat both sides thoroughly. Since the marinade coats the chicken so well, there’s no need for any finishing drizzle. - Marinate for 2 to 24 hours
Two hours is enough, but overnight gives the best flavor and that deep golden color. Don’t go past 24 hours—it gets too salty. - Air fry for crispy skin and juicy meat
Place the chicken skin-side up in a lined basket. Air fry at 380°F (193°C) for 14 minutes. No flipping. - Or bake and broil for extra crisp
Bake on a wire rack at 425°F (218°C) for 20 minutes. Broil for 2–3 minutes at the end if you want crispier skin—watch closely so it doesn’t burn. - Check the temperature
Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part. It should hit 165°F (74°C). That’s how you know it’s ready. - Slice and serve
This chicken is super flavorful—no extra sauce needed. The marinade gives it that glossy, savory-sweet coating that sticks to every bite. Serve with rice and veggies, or wrap it up with cucumber in wonton wrappers (see recipe notes).
What to serve with soy marinated chicken
This sweet soy glazed chicken goes with just about anything. You can keep it simple with rice and a quick veggie, or wrap it up like Peking duck for something more fun—great for dinner with friends or a cozy night in. Here are a few more ideas to mix and match:
- Rice: Try microwave sticky rice or golden fried rice for a filling base that soaks up all that savory-sweet flavor.
- Side dishes: Add a crunchy, tangy bite with pickled daikon, pickled garlic, or Asian pickled cucumbers.
- Soups: Round out the meal with something warm and light like daikon soup, shiitake mushroom soup, or bok choy soup.
FAQs
I don’t recommend chicken breast—it tends to come out dry with this method. Chicken drumsticks work well though. Just flip them once halfway through marinating, and adjust the cooking time:
– Air fry at 380°F (193°C) for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway.
– Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 40–45 minutes, flipping once until the internal temp hits 175ºF (80°C).
No, I don’t recommend it. The marinade is just enough to coat the chicken—there’s no extra to reuse, and it’s touched raw poultry.
Not at all. The thick soy sauce gives you all the flavor you need right on the chicken. If you want to brush on a little extra glaze after cooking, my homemade thick soy sauce recipe makes about ¾ cup, so you’ll have plenty left for another batch.
Yes! My homemade Taiwanese thick soy sauce is gluten-free. Just be sure to make it from scratch—store-bought versions usually aren’t gluten-free.
Try these delicious Asian chicken recipes next!
If you love bold, savory chicken dishes like this one, here are a few more reader favorites to try next:
- Chinese Steamed Chicken – A classic dish made simple with tender chicken leg quarters and a super aromatic sauce. (coming soon)
- Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken – My authentic take on this sticky, garlicky, and deeply flavorful Taiwanese favorite. (coming soon)
- Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry – A quick and easy stir-fry that’s packed with flavor—one of the most popular chicken recipes on the blog!
Taiwanese soy chicken marinade recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Taiwanese thick soy sauce or store-bought Kimlan or Yunhai
- 4 pieces chicken thighs skin-on & boneless
Optional serving ideas:
- Cooked rice for rice
- Vegetable side dish for rice
- 8-12 pieces wonton wrappers room temperature (for wraps)
- Avocado oil or neutral-flavored oil (for wraps)
- 1-2 whole Persian cucumbers for wraps
Instructions
- To make Taiwanese thick soy sauce, combine light and dark soy sauces, water, mirin, coconut sugar, black vinegar, garlic granules, sea salt, and five-spice powder in a pot. Simmer 5–6 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves. Whisk in a glutinous rice flour slurry and cook 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Cool to thicken further; it should coat a spoon.
- Tender chicken: Make a few shallow cuts on the meaty side of the chicken thighs to help break up the connective tissue. This will help the chicken lay flat, absorb more marinade, and cook more evenly.
- Marinate chicken: Place the chicken in a large container and pour in the thick soy sauce. Toss to coat so every piece is well covered on both sides.
- Marinating time: Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Air fry: Lightly shake off the extra marinade. Place the chicken skin-side up in a lined air fryer basket. Air fry at 380°F (193°C) for 14 minutes. No flipping needed.
- Oven-baked: Brush a wire rack with a little oil. Place the chicken skin-side up on the rack and bake at 425°F (218°C) for 20 minutes. For crispier skin, switch to high broil for 2–3 minutes at the end—just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
- Check doneness: Use a digital thermometer and check the thickest part. It should read at least 165°F (74°C).
- Serving: Because the soy marinade is very flavorful, you do not need extra sauce to serve on the side. Simply slice the chicken and serve hot or warm with rice and a side vegetable of your choice. For the wonton wrap version, see the notes below.
Notes
- Using skinless chicken thighs: You can also use skinless, boneless thighs. Air fry for 10 minutes instead of 14, then check and add a little more time if needed.
- What is Taiwanese thick soy sauce (醬油膏)? It’s a savory-sweet soy sauce that’s thickened with flour (or starch) and used often in Taiwanese home cooking for marinades and dipping sauces. The flavor is garlicky and slightly sweet, with a hint of five-spice warmth.
- Click here to see my homemade thick soy sauce with storage and usage info.
- How long should you marinate the chicken? Because the Taiwanese thick soy sauce is already rich and concentrated, I don’t recommend marinating the chicken for more than 24 hours. Around 12 to 24 hours is perfect—it gives you beautifully caramelized, golden-brown chicken that’s savory, sweet, and garlicky without becoming too salty or overpowering.
- Large-batch meal prep (freezer-friendly): For freezer meal prep, you can marinate the chicken in advance, but I recommend diluting the sauce to avoid over-salting. Add 2 tablespoons of water for every 5 tablespoons of thick soy sauce. This way, you can freeze the chicken for up to 3 months without losing flavor or making it too salty.
- To serve with Chinese pancakes (Beijing duck style):
- Let the wonton wrappers come to room temperature so they soften slightly—this makes them easier to roll and less likely to tear.
- Take one wrapper and lightly brush the surface with oil. Stack a second wrapper on top and brush again. Repeat with up to 4 wrappers, brushing between each layer. Leave the very top layer dry.
- Use a rolling pin to gently roll the stack outwards in all directions. Aim for roughly 4 to 4.5-inch square sheets. Don’t press too hard—slow and even pressure helps prevent tearing.
- Bring water to a boil and line your bamboo steamer with a perforated parchment sheet. Steam the wrapper stack over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the stack and gently separate the layers one by one. Keep them warm and moist by storing them in the steamer or covering them with a clean, damp cloth.
- To wrap: Add 2 slices of chicken and a few cucumber spears to each wrapper. Fold from the bottom up, then tuck in the left and right sides like a half-open envelope. Add a little water to help seal if needed, but this is meant to be eaten fresh—just like Beijing duck.
- Extra tips:
- Store leftover steamed wrappers in the bamboo steamer to keep them from drying out.
- Fresh wonton wrappers roll and steam the best. Frozen ones work, but once re-frozen and thawed again, they’re much harder to stretch and often tear while rolling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made a dish and loved it? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
