If you’ve never had 5 spice chicken, you’re in for a treat! Super flavorful and so easy to whip up, it’ll get you out of that dinner rut!
A couple of years ago, I was feeling like I was in a massive dinner rut.
Every Sunday consisted of Instant Pot Chicken Wings or Sheet Pan Chicken Breasts or Whole Roasted Chicken with sides of Lemon Butter Asparagus or seasonal Steamed Vegetables.
There’s nothing wrong with chicken and vegetables, but I was ready for something else. It didn’t have to be some crazy, spectacular meal. It just had to be different.
I started experimenting with spices and struck gold on my first two attempts. The first was Jamaican Jerk Chicken. The second is this Chinese 5 spice chicken recipe.
EASY CHINESE 5 SPICE CHICKEN
One of the reasons I like Chinese 5 spice chicken so much is that when you use this spice, it’s the only spice you need (other than salt).
- Save money. Making your own spice blends at home is a great frugal way to add flavor.
- Unique flavor. Chinese 5 spice isn’t hot or spicy. Instead, it has a robust, sweet flavor that’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted.
- Gets you out of a dinner rut. If you’re tired of the same old chicken dinner, try something new!
- Meal prep. Cook a big batch of Chinese five spice chicken and enjoy it in meals all week.
If you’ve never had Chinese 5 spice before, prepare yourself for a flavor explosion!
WHAT IS FIVE SPICE?
So, what is five spice powder? This delicious spice blend consists of five spices that individually can make or break a meal (ever had too many cloves in your pumpkin pie?). Here’s the line-up:
- Star Anise
- Fennel Seeds
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Black pepper
Now, anise and fennel are two spices I (personally) absolutely cannot stand on their own. They taste very similar to black licorice, and growing up, I was a RED licorice gal.
Black licorice is like cilantro. You either love it or hate it. I tried black licorice once, spit it out, and knew I’d never eat it again
My personal disdain for black licorice aside, there’s something magical that happens when you mix anise and fennel with cinnamon, cloves, and pepper.
They actually taste GOOD!
Don’t pass up Chinese 5 spice powder at the grocery store (unless it’s crazy expensive, and then buy this affordable option on Amazon or find it at a local ethnic store instead).
CHINESE FIVE SPICE CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
Along with Chinese five spice powder, you’ll also need:
- Chicken. Either a whole chicken or cut into parts (you can also use the equivalent amount of skin-on bone-in chicken pieces – wings, breasts, chicken thighs, whatever you have!).
- Chopped Garlic. Use minced jarred garlic or chop fresh garlic cloves yourself.
- Hoisin Sauce. If you don’t have hoisin sauce, substitute 1 heaping Tablespoon of oyster sauce or fish sauce + 1 teaspoon molasses + 1 teaspoon honey.
- Light Soy Sauce. We use liquid aminos. Coconut aminos or tamari (gluten free soy sauce) work here, too.
- Sesame Oil. This adds a nutty flavor to the chicken 5 spice sauce.
- Fresh Ginger. Roughly chopped. Freeze any extra for another time!
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HOW TO MAKE CHINESE 5 SPICE CHICKEN
Follow these step-by-step instructions:
Step 1. Except for the chicken, add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree until you have a mostly smooth paste.
Step 2. You can use the five spice recipe in two ways.
As a rub: Smear the sauce under the skin, on the skin side, and over the entire surface of the chicken and cook immediately.
As a marinade: Combine chicken and sauce in a plastic bag (I use these), remove the excess air, and let it marinate in the fridge overnight, or at least 8 hours, before cooking.
Step 3. Cook the chicken using your preferred method. To bake 5 spice chicken, preheat the oven to 400F and place chicken pieces in large, shallow baking pans or on a parchment paper lined baking sheet pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until juices run clear.
If you use boneless chicken thighs or breasts, reduce cooking time to 20-30 minutes.
Store leftover Chinese 5 spice chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
SIDE DISHES FOR 5 SPICE RECIPES
5 spice recipes have a pretty powerful flavor, so you don’t want your side dishes to have too many competing flavors. I like to stick with simple sides, so the amazing flavor of the chicken really shines!
- Vegetable Fried Rice
- Pan-Roasted Broccoli
- Cauliflower Rice
- White Rice
- Lemon Butter Asparagus
- Sauteed Green Beans
You can also sprinkle additional Chinese 5 spice powder on veggies coated with olive oil and roast them for a yummy side!
USE CHINESE 5 SPICE CHICKEN FOR MEAL PREP
Because this 5 spice chicken is just that – mainly chicken – it’s a great option for a meal prepped protein that you can use all week long!
Boost the Protein: Serve 5 spice recipes with higher-protein sides like quinoa or edamame to boost the protein even more!
Add Carbs: Pair 5 spice chicken with brown rice and steamed veggies when you have carbs available. A baked sweet potato is another great option that would pair well with the five spice flavor.
Low Fat and Low Carb: Make a 5 spice chicken salad to pack in the produce. You won’t even need much (or any) dressing since the chicken is so full of flavor!
Balanced Macros: Make a five spice chicken wrap. You’ll get carbs from the tortilla, fat from any dressing or cheese, and protein from the chicken, plus you can add veggies like shredded lettuce, sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, or grated carrots.
CHINESE 5 SPICE POWDER FAQS
What can you use Chinese 5 spice for?
You can use Chinese five spice mixture for poultry, meat, or fish. You can even add it to a fruit salad or vegetables!
What is 5 Chinese spice made of?
This Chinese five spice recipe consists of anise, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.
How spicy is Chinese 5 spice?
Chinese 5 spice is not spicy (hot). It has a robust and sweet flavor.
MORE HOMEMADE SEASONING RECIPES
You can really save a lot of money by making your own spice blends at home. Try these delicious seasoning blends!
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Homemade Chili Seasoning
- Seasoning Salt
- Blackened Seasoning
- Montreal Steak Seasoning
- Dry Onion Soup Mix
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5 Spice Chicken
If you’ve never had 5 spice chicken, you’re in for a treat! Super flavorful and so easy to whip up, it’ll get you out of that dinner rut!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 10 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
- 5 lb chicken, either whole or cut into parts (you can also use the equivalent of chicken pieces) (2270
- 2 Tbsp chopped garlic (17g)
- 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce* (32g)
- 2 Tbsp Chinese 5 Spice (13g)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (we use liquid aminos) (32g)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (4g)
- 1” fresh ginger, roughly chopped (freeze any extra) (8g)
Instructions
- Except for the chicken, add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree until you have a mostly smooth paste/marinade.
- You can use the five spice recipe in two ways:
- As a rub: Smear the sauce under the skin and over the entire surface of the chicken and cook immediately.
- As a marinade: Combine the chicken and sauce in a plastic bag, remove the excess air, and let it sit in the fridge overnight, or at least 8 hours, before cooking.
- Cook chicken using your preferred method, OR preheat the oven to 400F and place chicken pieces in large, shallow baking pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until juices run clear.
Notes
* If you don’t have Hoisin sauce, substitute 1 heaping Tbsp of oyster sauce OR fish sauce + 1 tsp molasses + 1 tsp honey.
Should I both rub and marinade or do I pick one of the other? I’m a little confused by those instructions. Please help!
Hi Jessica,
The recipe gives you instructions for two options, so you can rub or marinate the chicken – based on your preference. Hope this helps. 🙂
How long would you bake the chicken in the oven and at what temp ?
When I bake drumsticks in the oven, I bake at 400F for about 25 min, or until the thermometer reads 165.
I started using five spice a few years ago to make Peking Duck,(in the slow cooker),for Thanksgiving one year. It was delicious. In addition to chicken, I use it every once in a while when I make brownies, (1/8 teaspoon or more for your taste), or in chocolate frosting,(small amount per your taste), for spreading on vanilla or chocolate cupcakes. A surprisingly subtle, spicy flavor, (that isn’t reminiscent of black licorice), when used this way. Happy Wednesday, Tiffany.