I can't see any reason for the marinating itself to make any difference. If it's safe to leave the (un-marinated) meat in the same conditions for the same length of time, then it's safe to marinate it for that long.
Five days in the refrigerator is definitely stretching it for chicken - usually no more than a few days is recommended, and that's assuming it was fresh when you bought it (not a day before the sell-by date). Even if it's safe, it's not going to be very good. I've accidentally left raw chicken in the refrigerator and forgotten about it before, and it started to smell "off" after about 4 days. I hate to say it, but I wouldn't use it at this point.
As for the steak, you're probably okay, because you only have surface bacteria, but I would cook it well and right away. Again, most cooks I know will recommend no more than a few days in the fridge.
P.S. I've heard people say that weak acids such as lime juice "preserve" the meat, but never from a reliable source; even if it worked, every marinade is different and it would be nearly impossible to predict the exact amount of time it preserves for. You have no idea how much bacteria existed at the outset, and even if the marinade somehow helped to inhibit growth of new bacteria, the "spoiled-ness" of raw meat doesn't come from the bacteria itself but from the toxins they leave behind. It's not a requirement for the bacteria to multiply in order for the food to spoil, if enough existed in the first place.
Unless somebody has it on good authority that marinating makes any significant difference, I refuse to put any stock in that bit of folk wisdom and recommend that others be equally skeptical.
There are several things that come together to produce the overall flavor profile of the dish, not all of them having anything to do with the wine. Traditional factors such as good spicing, blooming the spices, browning ingredients and so forth continue to have a huge affect.
Deglazing with some wine adds the following:
- Acidity. Wine is an acid food product, and this brightness can enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
- Sweetness. Wine can also be sweet, which acts as a flavor enhancer.
- Fruitiness. The fruity qualities of the wine may compliment the other flavors of the dish.
- Alcohol. The alcohol in the wine will not completely evaporate. Some will remain, helping to dissolve and make volatile some flavor components which are ot soluble in either water or fats (this is especially true in tomato based dishes). This can give foods cooked with alcohol an extra depth of flavor.
The first and last of these affects probably have the most profound affect on your dish.
Adding the wine in dribs and drabs probably doesn't help, but in the end you need to use enough wine to have a good effect on your dish. Even though it will be reduced, it is still an ingredient, and you need to have enough to matter.
I do suggest adding it all at once, and letting it boil away; this should work quite well.
The quality of wine you use also matters. You want a wine that tastes decent, even as a beverage. My personal preference for cooking is a Chardonnay, but I don't think that preference is universal.
Best Answer
The main factors a base liquid can contribute to a marinade are:
You did not provide a recipe, but in most Chinese dishes, the vinegar or rice wine in the marinade contributes some acidity (rice vinegar not always being as strong as western vinegar), possibly some sweetness, and of course, the characteristic flavor. However, Chinese marinades are not normally used for long enough periods, nor are they acidic enough for the acid to be an active ingredient; it is just part of the overall flavor balance.
Therefore, whiskey should serve well for most purposes, assuming you like the flavor it brings. While it probably has less acid than vinegar or wine, this is unlikely to be a significant difference.