Hong Kong Style Fried Chicken Drumsticks with Black Pepper Sauce (Easy Oven Version)

Hong Kong Style Fried Chicken Drumsticks with Black Pepper Sauce

Please refer to the following golden ratio list for 4 servings:
🥣 Marinade List for 4 Servings
Large chicken drumsticks: 4
Five-spice powder: 1.5 tsp (the soulful aroma of a cha chaan teng)
Rose wine: 1.5 tbsp (rose wine is the most authentic, I only use Shaoxing wine as a substitute)
Light soy sauce: 4.5 tbsp
Dark soy sauce (mushroom dark soy sauce): 2/3 tbsp (mainly for coloring, to make the baked skin a deep golden brown)
Granulated sugar: 1.5 tbsp (to balance the saltiness of fermented red bean curd)
Salt: 2/3 tsp

I didn't add the following seasonings, you can try them if you have them:
Fermented red bean curd: More than half a block (crushed with the back of a spoon, along with a little fermented red bean curd liquid)
Minced garlic: 2.5 tbsp
Ginger juice: 1.5 tbsp
White pepper powder: appropriate amount

👨🍳 A few tips before baking 4 chicken drumsticks
1. Thorough massage: After mixing the marinade evenly, spread it over the 4 chicken drumsticks that have been pricked with a fork (very important, don't be afraid to prick them densely and frequently). Massage the chicken with your hands for 3-5 minutes to ensure the sauce penetrates deeply, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is better, at least 1 hour).
2. Dry and coat with flour: Before baking, remember to gently dab off excess wet sauce from the surface with kitchen paper (don't wipe it off, just make sure it's not dripping), then individually coat each of the 4 chicken drumsticks with a thin layer of cornstarch (I use the yellow box of Ying粟粉 commonly used in Hong Kong).
3. Arrange with space: When the 4 large chicken drumsticks are laid flat on a wire rack (I use a tray with aluminum foil), the size is just right. Remember to leave space between them so that the hot air in the oven can circulate 360 degrees, which will allow the skin of all 4 chicken drumsticks to achieve a crispy texture simultaneously!

🔥 Full record of oven cooking for 4 chicken drumsticks
Preheating phase (before entering the oven)
Set temperature: 200°C** (If your oven has a fan oven function, be sure to turn it on).
Important step: The chicken drumsticks should only be placed in the oven when it has fully reached 200°C (usually when the preheating light turns off).
Equipment preparation: Line a baking tray with aluminum foil (shiny side in, for easy cleaning), and place a wire rack on top.

Phase 1: Bone cooked through (Time: 15 minutes)
Temperature: Maintain 200°C, place in the middle rack of the oven.
Placement: Lay the 4 chicken drumsticks "skin-side down, flesh-side up" on the wire rack, leaving space between them.
Changes in state: At this point, the heat will start to cook the thickest part of the meat and the bone from the back of the drumsticks. You will see the chicken meat start to shrink, and the aluminum foil at the bottom will start to collect a small amount of dripping water and chicken fat.

Phase 2: Flip and re-oil (Time: 5 minutes)
Temperature: Maintain 200°C.
Operation:
1. Quickly pull out the rack (be careful of burns).
2. Use food tongs to flip all 4 chicken drumsticks over, so they are "skin-side up, flesh-side down."
3. Use an oil sprayer to evenly spray a thin layer of cooking oil on the chicken skin (this step is crucial for combining with the cornstarch on the surface to form a crispy skin).
4. Quickly push back into the oven.

Phase 3: High heat to render fat and color (Time: 10-12 minutes)
Set temperature: Immediately increase to 220°C.
Changes in state: At the high temperature of 220°C, the fat from the chicken skin will be aggressively rendered, and the cornstarch layer on the surface will start to bubble, harden, and turn into an enticing deep golden brown (due to the coloring from dark soy sauce and fermented red bean curd).

Standard for taking out of oven: The chicken skin surface shows a slightly charred cha chaan teng color, and there's a sizzling sound of fat at the edges.
Resting after baking (Time: 3-5 minutes)
Final crucial step: After taking them out of the oven, do not cut or bite into them immediately!
Method: Place the drumsticks on the wire rack on the kitchen counter and let them "rest" for 3-5 minutes. This allows the boiling juices to reabsorb into the chicken muscle fibers, making them burst with flavor when you bite into them; at the same time, the slightly cooler air will further shrink the chicken skin, making it even crispier.

Hong Kong Style Cha Chaan Teng Black Pepper Sauce
To create the "extremely rich, thick, and shiny" black pepper sauce found in Hong Kong-style cha chaan tengs, we primarily use the Western cooking technique of making a roux. This thickness comes from the emulsifying effect of butter and flour (if you don't use butter, you can use cornstarch slurry, but be aware that it will thin out when cooled, commonly known as "reverting to water").

Below is a recreated recipe and method for a "very thick" Hong Kong-style black pepper sauce, for 4 servings:

🥣 Thick Black Pepper Sauce – Ingredients Ratio for 4 Servings
Butter: 40g (base for richness and thickness - I didn't follow it exactly)
Plain Flour: 3.5 tbsp (all-purpose or cake flour is fine, source of thickness)

Coarsely ground black pepper: 4–5 tbsp (must use coarse grains for enough aroma)
Minced garlic: 2 tbsp
Minced shallots: 2 tbsp (optional)
Minced onion: Half (finely chopped, to melt into the sauce for sweetness and body)
Broth liquid: Beef broth, chicken broth, bouillon cube, or water 650ml

Seasoning soul:
Oyster sauce: 3.5 tbsp (adds umami and natural thickness)
Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins): 1 tbsp (the unique slightly sour and refreshing taste of cha chaan tengs) Very important
Light soy sauce: 1.5 tbsp
Dark soy sauce: 1 tbsp (key to creating a deep brown and shiny color)
Sugar: 1.5 tsp

👨🍳 Step-by-step production process (how to achieve "thickness")
Step 1: Dry-roast pepper (to bring out spiciness)
Do not add oil first. Place the coarsely ground black pepper in a dry wok and stir-fry over low heat for 1-2 minutes until you smell a strong black pepper aroma. Immediately remove and set aside. This removes the bitter taste of the black pepper.

Step 2: Sauté the roux over low heat (the soul of thickness) / If not using butter, you can skip this step and use cornstarch slurry instead
Put 40g of butter into the wok and cook over low heat until completely melted.
Add minced garlic, minced shallots, and minced onion, and stir-fry over low heat until the onions soften and become translucent.
Key action: Add 3.5 tablespoons of flour, turn the heat to the lowest setting, and continuously stir with a wooden spoon or whisk, cooking the flour and butter into a paste (at this point, small bubbles will appear, and it will have a biscuity aroma).

Step 3: Add broth in batches (smooth and lump-free)
Slowly add 650ml of broth to the wok in 3-4 batches.
After each addition, stir thoroughly until the roux is completely dissolved in the broth before adding the next batch.
You will notice that as soon as the liquid touches the roux, it will immediately become very smooth and thick, like cream soup.

Step 4: Color and simmer
Add the stir-fried black pepper, as well as oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer slowly for 3-5 minutes.

Observe the consistency: The sauce will become darker and thicker as it simmers. Dip the back of a spoon into the sauce; if the sauce coats the back of the spoon tightly and you can draw a clear line with your finger, then this "thickness" is perfect.