Find a saucepan that is just large enough to fit the entire chicken to minimize the amount of soy sauce needed.
Fill the saucepan with water so that the entire chicken is submerged under the surface of the water.
Remove the chicken.
Pour the water into a measuring container.
Remove half the water.
3 cups water
Add the same amount of light soy sauce as the remaining water measurement.
3 cups light soy sauce
Pour the soy water mixture back into the saucepan.
Add sugar that is a little less than half the amount of remaining water.
1 cup sugar
Add the rest of the sauce ingredients into a saucepan. Stir.
4 slices fresh ginger, 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 Tbsp Chinese five spice powder, 3 Tbsp DARK soy sauce
Bring the sauce mixture to boil.
Add the chicken, breast side down and bring to a full boil.
Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
DO NOT OPEN LID. Turn off heat and allow to continue to cook for additional hour.
Remove the chicken from the soy sauce mixture when internal temperature measures 160-165° F (71 - 74° C) and allow to cool.
Chop chicken into pieces. Serve with spicy, English mustard.
Video
Notes
You can substitute chicken thighs for the whole chicken if chopping a whole chicken seems daunting! Preferably, use legs and thighs WITH the bones. The bones do provide flavor to the sauce that can be used for other recipes. DO NOT THROW THE SAUCE AWAY. Use the sauce to make marbled soy sauce eggs, five-spice beef or soy sauce simmered pork belly.