Caramelized Soy Chicken Garlic Ginger Broth (Printable)
Tender chicken with sweet soy glaze and aromatic garlic-ginger broth over fluffy rice.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Caramel Soy Sauce
05 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
06 - 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
07 - 1 tbsp honey
08 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
09 - 1 tbsp water
→ Garlic Ginger Broth
10 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
11 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
13 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
14 - 3 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
15 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
16 - 1 tsp sesame oil
→ Rice
17 - 1.1 cups jasmine or long-grain white rice
18 - 2 cups water
19 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnishes
20 - 2 spring onions, sliced
21 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
22 - Fresh cilantro leaves
# Step-by-step:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice, water, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, and water until sugar dissolves. Set aside for glazing.
03 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season evenly with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.
04 - Discard excess oil from the pan. Return chicken to the skillet over medium heat. Pour in the caramel soy sauce. Cook, turning to coat, until sauce thickens and chicken is glazed, about 3–5 minutes. Remove chicken and cover to keep warm.
05 - In a separate pot, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and onion; sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
06 - Slice the caramelized chicken against the grain. Divide rice among bowls, ladle over hot garlic ginger broth, and arrange chicken slices on top. Garnish with spring onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The way the caramelized soy glaze catches at the edges of the chicken, creating these irresistible sticky sweet bits that make you want to lick your plate
- That moment when the garlic-ginger broth hits the table and the whole house smells like your favorite Asian restaurant
02 -
- When you're caramelizing the chicken in the sauce, watch it like a hawk—the sugar goes from perfect to burned in seconds, and once it scorches, there's no saving it
- Let the broth simmer the full 10 minutes even if it smells amazing earlier—those raw ginger notes need time to mellow into something warm and comforting
03 -
- Pat the chicken completely dry before searing—any moisture on the surface will steam the meat instead of creating that gorgeous caramelized crust
- Room temperature chicken sears more evenly than cold straight from the fridge, so take it out 20 minutes before cooking