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Fall-Apart Tender Shoyu Chicken (Hawaiian Family Recipe)

Fall-Apart Tender Shoyu Chicken (Hawaiian Family Recipe)

Enjoy this Fall-Apart Tender Shoyu Chicken, a Hawaiian family recipe that is pure local-style comfort food.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course main dish
Cuisine Hawaiian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

  • heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
  • Baking sheet
  • bowl

Ingredients
  

Chicken and Braising Liquid

  • 6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 cup water
  • cup shoyu Japanese soy sauce
  • cup dark brown sugar
  • 4 pieces green onions thinly sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
  • 3 inches ginger finely chopped or grated
  • cornstarch slurry optional
  • rice for serving, as desired
  • Hawaiian mac salad for serving, as desired
  • sautéed cabbage or bok choy for serving, as desired

Instructions
 

Cooking Steps

  • Mix the shoyu braising liquid: Add the water, shoyu, brown sugar, green onions, garlic, and ginger to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • Braise the shoyu chicken: Pour the braising liquid into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with a lid. Nestle the chicken thighs in the pot, submerging them in the shoyu braising liquid as much as possible. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is fall-apart tender and cooked through.
  • Optional: Broil for texture: Preheat your oven’s broiler to its highest setting, ensuring an oven rack is positioned about 6 inches below the broiler. Transfer the chicken thighs to a small baking sheet. Place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the chicken skin is crispy and caramelized. As the chicken broils, you can also thicken the braising liquid. Increase the heat under the pot to high. Boil 5-10 minutes, until reduced as desired.
  • Serve the shoyu chicken immediately alongside rice and mac salad. Spoon the thickened shoyu sauce over the chicken and garnish with thinly sliced green onion as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

In Hawaii, soy sauce is most commonly called shoyu. This dish stores well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and is even more flavorful when reheated. Alternative cooking methods include oven-braising, slow cooking, or using an Instant Pot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 25gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1200mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 150IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chicken thighs, Comfort Food, Easy Dinner, fall-apart tender chicken, Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken, shoyu recipe
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