Steamed Cantonese-Style Soy Sauce Chicken

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-26 · Updated 2026-06-26

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Tender chicken steamed with a fragrant soy sauce blend, capturing the essence of traditional Cantonese flavors. This Chinese-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, blends whole chicken (3-4 lbs), light soy sauce, dark soy sauce into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 45 min Serves 4 Chinese cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs)
1/3 cup light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tbsp granulated sugar
4 slices ginger, sliced thin
3 stalks green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 cups water

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Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and pat dry one whole chicken (3-4 lbs), then place it in a heatproof dish suitable for steaming.
Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup light soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1 tbsp granulated sugar until the sugar dissolves.
Step 3: Scatter 4 thin slices of ginger and 3 stalks of green onions (cut into 2-inch pieces) both inside the chicken cavity and on top.
Step 4: Pour the soy sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, then drizzle 1 tbsp sesame oil on top.
Step 5: Prepare a wok or large pot with 2 cups of water, bring it to a boil over high heat, and place the chicken dish on a steaming rack inside.
Step 6: Cover and steam the chicken for 45 minutes, checking once halfway to ensure water hasn’t evaporated; add boiling water if needed.
Step 7: Remove the chicken from the steamer carefully and let rest 5 minutes before carving and serving with steamed rice.