Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken

This Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken is tender, juicy, sweet and savory chicken thigh, the sauce is what the chicken is braised in, giving it a delicious depth of flavor. The shoyu is like a marinade of soy sauce with other ingredients that the chicken will absorb and become juicy and saucy when cooking.

Shoyu Chicken is a popular local dish found at many restaurants in Hawaii. It is easy to make at home with basic pantry ingredients like shoyu, sugar, and garlic, it’s a one-pot recipe that takes less than 1 hour to prepare.

This recipe traditionally made with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and it really is the ideal cut. Every element adds something to the dish. The bone adds complexity and natural sweetness, while the skin adds flavor and texture. The chicken thighs also hold up to braising without drying out. If you are feeling extra lazy (or just don’t like dealing with skin and bones), you can use boneless chicken thighs, just reduce the cooking time by half. That way you don’t get overcooked chicken.

Any part of the chicken that consists of the same elements will work as well, such as drumsticks or wings. All with the bone in and skin on, of course. Avoid using breast meat since it's easy to overcook and it won't stand up to braising.

This recipe best serve with rice because this dish is saucy, and the rice soaks up all that sauce so good. It is super easy to make–it’s the perfect weeknight meal!

What is Shoyu Chicken

Shoyu chicken is a popular Hawaiian dish found in many restaurants in Hawaii. 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 settlers who lived in Hawaii and experimented with combining local tastes and tastes from their homeland.

Ingredients You'll Need For Shoyu Chicken

• Chicken Thigh - This recipe calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
• Soy sauce - Shoyu is Japanese soy sauce and Aloha Shoyu is a brand of soy sauce that is often used in shoyu chicken. Shoyu is milder and a little sweeter than other styles of soy sauce. You can use low-sodium soy sauce if you prefer.
• brown sugar - Shoyu chicken is known to have a sweet and savory flavor and a little brown sugar is added to add a layer of sweetness. You can also use honey or regular sugar is brown sugar isn't available.
• Garlic and ginger - Both of these are aromatics that's a must with shoyu sauce! They both add a delicious flavor and spice that make this sauce over the top.
• Water - Because there is a lot of shoyu being used in the recipe, water is important so the sauce doesn't get too salty. As the chicken cooks in the sauce, it will reduce and become saltier, so water is an important ingredient in this recipe.
• Rice wine vinegar - adds flavor to the dish.
• Spring onion and sesame seeds - for garnish.

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