Soy sauce chicken is quick, easy, and full of flavor. It's a 3-ingredient recipe that we reach for whenever we don't feel like cooking. The chicken thighs stay juicy and tender and the flavor goes well with most side dishes. You'll love it!

Soy sauce chicken on a white plate with snap peas.

What is soy sauce chicken

  1. Our most reached for I-don't-feel-like-cooking recipe.
  2. So easy that it's a little embarrassing to call this a recipe.
  3. Amazingly flavorful.
  4. Super versatile. We've served this with everything from Greek salad to Thai curry. (Seriously, just try slicing this chicken and putting some on top of your curry. You'll never look back.)
  5. Made with 3 ingredients that we ALWAYS seem to have in our fridge, freezer, and pantry.

What kind of chicken do I need to make this recipe?

Boneless chicken thighs. Most chicken recipes are pretty flexible and you can switch one cut for another by simply adjusting the cooking time. But for this one, we need boneless chicken thighs.

Both bone-in thighs and chicken breasts take longer to cook. And the longer cooking time means that the soy sauce will burn before the chicken is cooked. So for this recipe, it's best to stick with boneless thighs.

READ MORE: Cilantro Lime Chicken

Soy sauce chicken in a pan with a spatula lifting a piece.

What is in soy sauce chicken marinade

Most chicken marinades call for oil, some sort of acid like vinegar or lemon juice, and some herbs/garlic/salt to flavor. But soy sauce is so flavorful that it can handle the job all by itself.

This is a 1-ingredient chicken marinade: soy sauce.

What to serve with soy sauce chicken

Don't get stuck thinking that this recipe should be served with an Asian-style side dish. The flavor goes well with so many recipes. Our favorites are our Best Greek Salad and Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic. Other sides that we love with this are:

And if you're feeling hungry, add one of these:

Looking down on a plate of soy sauce chicken with snap peas.

Easy Chicken Recipes

Looking down on a plate of soy sauce chicken with snap peas.

Soy Sauce Chicken Recipe

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Soy sauce chicken is quick, easy, and full of flavor. It's a 3-ingredient recipe that we reach for whenever we don't feel like cooking. The chicken thighs stay juicy and tender and the flavor goes well with most side dishes. You'll love it!

If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!

4.93 stars (55 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • 8 boneless chicken thighs
  • ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, gluten-free, if needed
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Instructions 

  • Place the chicken thighs into a bowl and pour the soy sauce over the top. Mix well and then put the bowl into your fridge. Let the thighs marinate for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
    8 boneless chicken thighs, ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • Heat the oil in a large, nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Pour the chicken thighs and all of the marinade into the pan and spread out the thighs so that they are in a single layer. Let them cook for 6 minutes then stir them around and scrape the bottom of the pan before turning them over and cooking for another 6 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
    1 tablespoon cooking oil

Notes

Pair with Cauliflower Fried Rice and Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic

A bowl of cauliflower rice with carrots, peas, and cashews.
A pan of this sauteed green bean recipe.
Serving: 2 chicken thighs, Calories: 308kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 215mg, Sodium: 732mg, Potassium: 582mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 54IU, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 2mg
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Soy sauce chicken on a white plate with snap peas and the recipe title on top of the picture.