These 5 Spice Chicken Thighs are bursting with flavor thanks to a blend of spices that add complex aromatic notes to everyday chicken. They are juicy and tender, perfect for noodles, sandwiches, salads, or rice. Broil them for easy indoor prep or toss them on the grill for extra flavor! Five spice chicken thighs also make a great meal prep protein for lunches and dinners all week long.
Chinese 5 spice powder may be one of my favorite spice blends. Star anise is one of the flavors in 5 spice blends that is easily recognizable. It has a versatile aroma that enhances both sweet and savory dishes. If you're a fan, try this Peach Sangria with star anise syrup next!
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Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs - This is my favorite cut of chicken to cook with. Chicken thighs stay tender and juicy in all sorts of cooking methods. Boneless and skinless thighs are easy to cook because they are more uniform in thickness, too. The marinade recipe makes enough for 16-24 ounces of chicken thighs.
- Soy Sauce - Use a low-sodium soy sauce to add to the marinade.
- Fish Sauce - Fish sauce will add salty and rich umami flavor to the chicken marinade. For most recipes I use the Three Crabs brand, which I buy at my local Asian market. You can also use a fancier Red Boat brand which I often see in the International section of the supermarket.
- Brown Sugar - Balance out the savory flavors with a bit of brown sugar.
- 5 Spice Powder - This blend of spices is widely available at large supermarkets and Asian markets. Check out below for more information about five spice blends.
- Garlic - Use 3 cloves and mince them well so that the bits of garlic don't burn as easily when you cook the chicken.
Instructions
Peel and finely mince the garlic.
Add the garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and 5 spice to a medium bowl and stir to combine the marinade ingredients.
Add the chicken thighs and stir them to coat all sides of the meat.
Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and marinate it for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
Turn on your oven's boiler and allow it to preheat while you line a sheet pan with foil.
Add a wire rack to the sheet pan so that the chicken is elevated above the foil and close to the broiler flame or element.
Place the marinated chicken thighs on the rack in a single layer.
Broil for 5 minutes, then remove the pan and flip the chicken. Broil an additional 4-5 minutes. Check that the chicken is at least 165°F. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving.
What is five spice?
Chinese five spice powder is usually a combination of star anise, cinnamon (or cassia), Sichuan peppercorn, fennel, and clove. In some blends, ginger, cardamom, citrus peel, or black pepper are present in place of the Sichuan pepper. It is commonly used in Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine and brings a warm range of flavors to dishes for both sweet and savory aromatic notes. Brands will vary in their flavor and proportion of each component. Find one you like and stick with it!
Substitutions and Variations
The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!
- Use Shallots - Shallots are common in Vietnamese recipes and can be added to the marinade or used in place of the garlic. The shallot pieces burn easily on the grill or broiler, so remove them from the meat or enjoy the charred shallot flavor.
- Grill the Chicken - Just like these Everyday Broiled Chicken Thighs or this Honey Balsamic Chicken, 5 spice chicken can be easily grilled outdoors!
Equipment
Here are some details on the common kitchen equipment that makes this recipe easy to prepare:
- Wire Racks - Use a wire rack that fits in a sheet pan to elevate your chicken so that it is close to the broiler element or flame. A wire rack can also be a great place to cool baked goods or elevate items in the oven to prevent steaming.
- Sheet Pans - A half sheet pan measures 13" x 18" and is a workhorse in the kitchen, perfect for broiling, sheet pan dinners, baking sheet pan pancakes, and cookies.
- Mixing Bowl - It's helpful to have mixing bowls in a variety of sizes, but you'll always reach for a sturdy glass or stainless steel mixing bowl for mixing marinades, batters, cookie doughs, snack mixes, and salads.
Serving Suggestions
This five spice chicken is so versatile that you'll find plenty of ways to serve it. Keep it simple and serve it with stir fried vegetables and steamed rice, or try one of the serving ideas below.
For a Vietnamese-inspired cold noodle bowl, top rice noodles with your sliced five spice chicken! Add fresh cucumbers, shredded lettuce, cilantro, and pickled radish and cucumbers along with a dollop of hoisin sauce.
Add hot or cold 5 spice chicken to a salad kit for an easy dinner or lunch option. This salad kit contained a sweet chili vinaigrette and dried mango pieces, perfect accompaniment to the savory chicken. This juicy chicken is a perfect addition to Chicken and Cabbage Salad, too!
Make a banh mi-inspired sandwich by layering hoisin-spiked mayonnaise, sliced cucumbers, pickled radish and cucumber, and cilantro on a toasted roll along with your chicken thighs.
Make This Recipe Kid Friendly
The sweet and savory flavor of this chicken makes it a natural for kids to enjoy. Serve your five spice chicken with a preferred dipping sauce and some familiar foods and it might just be a new favorite for the whole family!
You'll find more tips for making dinner time fun for the whole family in this post Keeping Peace with Picky Eaters at the Dinner Table!
Storage
Store the marinating chicken for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. Be sure to keep it covered with plastic wrap or you'll find other items start to taste like 5 spice marinade, too! Store any cooked and cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Make-Ahead Options
You can whip up the marinade and marinate the chicken up to 12 hours before broiling or grilling it for an easy prep on busy weeknights. You can also prepare a double batch of chicken for easy meals throughout the week!
FAQ
Five spice powder blends will differ from country to country, region to region, and even household to household! Generally the star anise, fennel, and cinnamon are present, but other spices can vary. If you find a blend you like, purchase that one consistently!
You can add five spice powder to both sweet and savory dishes. It is great for marinades for beef, chicken, and pork as well as adding to stir fry sauces. You can also add it to a French toast custard or blend it with sugar for a topping for chai or coffee.
You can use bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe and either grill or broil them. They will take longer to cook, however, so use a meat thermometer to check that the thickest part of the thigh has reached 165°F.
More Grilling Favorites
These five spice chicken thighs are perfect for the grill, just like the line up of recipes below:
Pairing Ideas
Check out the recipes below for flavors that will compliment these 5 spice chicken thighs:
Try It and Share
I hope you try these 5 Spice Chicken Thighs and enjoy the recipe as much as I do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Recipe
5 Spice Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 16 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon five spice powder
- 3 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Finely mince the garlic cloves.
- Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, five spice, and garlic in a medium bowl and stir together well.
- Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and stir them to coat them well.
- Cover the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, and up to 12 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven broiler.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and lay a wire rack over the foil. Place the chicken thighs over the wire rack in an even layer.
- Broil the chicken for 5 minutes on one side, flip the chicken, then broil an additional 4-5 minutes on the second side.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie Waltman says
This is one of my favorite ways to turn simple chicken into something special!