Description
Enjoy the bold and savory flavors of Hong Kong Style Chicken with a rich and aromatic black pepper sauce. This dish features tender, bone-in chicken thighs marinated and cooked to perfection, then smothered in a luscious sauce combining soy, oyster sauce, and a peppery kick—perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or special occasion meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 1.5 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or sake
- dash white pepper
Sauce and Cooking
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for cooking chicken)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2.5 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sake
- 0.75 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 0.5 cup water
- 1 tablespoon roux (see below)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
Roux (Thickener)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 0.5 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional for richness)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken marinade: In a large bowl, combine the salt, sugar, corn starch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese rice wine or sake, and a dash of white pepper. Add the bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and mix thoroughly to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.
- Make the roux: In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Stir in 3.5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly until it forms a light golden paste. Add 0.5 tablespoon of unsalted butter for added richness if desired. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken thighs skin side down first and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 5 minutes until chicken is almost cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics and build sauce: In the same skillet, add minced garlic and ground black pepper. Sauté briefly until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor. Add 2.5 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sake, chicken broth, and water, stirring to combine.
- Thicken the sauce: Gradually whisk in the prepared roux to the simmering sauce mixture. Add sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and dark soy sauce to balance flavor and color. Stir until the sauce thickens to a rich consistency, about 3-5 minutes.
- Combine chicken with sauce: Return the cooked chicken thighs to the skillet, spooning the sauce over them. Let everything simmer together on low heat for another 5-7 minutes, allowing the chicken to soak in the peppery sauce while finishing cooking through.
- Serve: Transfer the chicken and black pepper sauce to a serving dish. Serve hot with steamed rice or your favorite side dishes for an authentic Hong Kong style meal.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.
- The roux can be prepared in advance and stored refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Adjust the amount of ground black pepper to your preference for more or less heat.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend in the roux.
- Bone-in skin-on thighs provide the best flavor and moisture but can be replaced with boneless if preferred; adjust cooking time accordingly.
