Kiss boring baked chicken goodbyeeee! This easy Char Siu Chicken transforms mundane dinners into exciting meals that are deliciously sticky, glossy, & juicy! THIS is the ultra flavorful bbq chicken you never knew you needed.
I loveee me some Char Siu Pork, but for weeknight dinners, this juicy Char Siu Chicken is an easy alternative – and quicker too! This recipe cooks the chicken at a lower temperature for super juicy & tender chicken.
If you want to create full Asian Takeout night at home, you could serve it with crispy Szechuan Shrimp and a comforting bowl of Wonton Soup or slurp-worthy Chicken Lo Mein! And you can’t forget tender Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce (if we’re trying to be healthy :)) & those irresistible Sesame Balls for dessert… yummm!
❤️ Highlights
🥘Char Siu Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken: Bone-in with skin-on chicken thighs are my fave for this Char Siu Chicken recipe! It comes out super juicy and flavorful. Make sure it’s pat dry well so the marinade doesn’t get diluted.
- Soy Sauce: Regular soy sauce is needed for its saltiness in this recipe and adds a boost of umami!
- Hoisin Sauce: This is a sweet & savory sauce that packs SO much flavor in one ingredient! You can easily find it at local Asian markets and it’s become increasingly popular, so it can be found in the Asian/International section of local grocery stores too!
- Shaoxing Wine: This is a Chinese cooking wine and can be easily found in local Asian markets or online.
- Chinese 5-Spice Powder: This is a blend of spices – star anise, cloves, fennel, cinnamon, & Sichuan peppercorns. This spice gives the char siu sauce its signature flavor, so I don’t recommend skipping this key ingredient!
- Sesame Oil: This gives a deep nutty flavor, so a little goes a long way.
See recipe card for quantities.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Pork: If you’re in the mood for roasted pork instead of chicken, check out my Char Siu Pork recipe! It’s SUPER easy too and you can easily repurpose any leftovers into delicious Pork Fried Rice *drool*
- Red Coloring: Traditionally in Chinese cuisine, fermented red bean curd is used to give the meat its signature red coloring & a touch of flavor. This can be found at local Asian markets but can sometimes be difficult to hunt down. For convenience, I’m using red food coloring. This is just for color, so you can skip it all together you want! Your Chinese bbq chicken will be SO delicious either way!
🔪 How To Make Char Siu Chicken
Step 1: In a Ziplock bag or airtight container, combine the char siu marinade ingredients – minced garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, 5-spicy, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, & red food coloring.
Step 2: Add pat dried chicken thighs & marinate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
Step 3: This is the oven cooking method. For the air fryer method, check in the recipe card below. Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C), then line baking tray with foil for easy cleanup later. Place marinated chicken on baking tray (saving the marinade), then bake for about 15 minutes.
Step 4: In the meantime, in a small saucepot, cook marinade for 5-10 minutes on medium heat to get rid of bacteria from the raw meat. The sauce should be a thick sticky glaze. Cover and turn off heat. for 5-10 minutes, or until it’s turned into a thick sticky glaze. Cover and turn off heat.
Step 5: Remove bbq chicken from oven, brush with basting sauce & bake for another 15 minutes. Baste bbq chicken for a second time, then cook for about 5-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through & juicy.
Remove your baked chicken from oven, allow to cool for about 5 minutes before slicing to keep it juicy. Enjoy with steamy white rice and fresh veggies like a Chinese Green Bean Stir-Fry!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Marinating Time: You can get away with marinating for 2 hours, but the longer you can marinate, the more flavorful your sticky Chinese chicken will be!
- Easy Cleanup: Line the baking or air fryer tray with foil to catch all the drippings for easy cleanup later!
- Cooking Time May Vary Slightly: This is because the cooking time depends on the size/thickness of the chicken. Ovens and air fryers also vary in power, so adjust the cooking time as needed so the chicken is cooked through & juicy.
- How to Tell Chicken is Done: You can easily tell when chicken is done because it’ll have an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Or, you can make a small slice to the bone & the meat should no longer be pink and the meat’s juices should run clear. Allow chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing so it stays juicy!
💭 Recipe FAQs
🥡 More Easy Chinese Recipes You’ll Love
Let’s get cooking!
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Char Siu Chicken
Ingredients
Char Siu Marinade:
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons 5-spice seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red food coloring optional
Ingredients:
- 1 pound chicken thighs bone-in & skin-on
- 2 tablespoons honey for basting
Instructions
- In a large airtight container or Ziplock bag, combine the char siu marinade ingredients – minced garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, 5-spice seasoning, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, & red food coloring (if using). Set aside.
- Pat dry chicken thighs and trim any excess chicken skin, then add chicken to the marinade. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
Oven Method:
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Line a baking tray with foil for easy clean up, then place baking racks and chicken skin-side up. Don’t throw away the marinade! Bake for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, create the basting sauce. In a small sauce pot, combine the marinade and additional honey. Heat on medium stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes, or until it turns into a thick, shiny, & sticky glaze. You should be able to make a line on the back of a spoon. Once it’s done, turn off heat and cover until ready to baste.
- Brush basting sauce onto chicken, then bake for another 15 minutes. Baste for a second time, then bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (meat is no longer pink & its juices run clear when given a small slit to the bone). Cook time may vary depending on the size/thickness of chicken & power of your oven, so adjust cooking time as needed so the chicken cooked through & juicy!
- Remove Char Siu Chicken from the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy with hot fresh rice and/or veggies!
Air Fryer Method:
- Preheat oven to 320° F.
- Place chicken skin-side up on air fryer tray, working in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding. Cook for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, create the basting sauce. In a small sauce pot, combine the marinade and additional honey. Heat on medium stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes, or until it turns into a thick, shiny, & sticky glaze. You should be able to make a line on the back of a spoon. Once it’s done, turn off heat and cover until ready to baste.
- Brush basting sauce onto chicken, then bake for another 5 minutes. Baste for a second time, then bake for another 5 -10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (meat is no longer pink & its juices run clear when given a small slit to the bone). Cook time may vary slightly depending on the size/thickness of chicken & power of your air fryer, so adjust cooking time as needed so the chicken is cooked through & juicy!
- Remove Char Siu Chicken from the air fryer and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy with hot fresh rice and/or veggies!
Notes
- Soy Sauce: We’re using regular soy sauce (not low sodium or dark soy sauce) for its saltiness & umami.
- Hoisin Sauce: It’s sweet, savory, & a punch of flavor in one ingredient! Find it at Asian or local grocery stores because so popular!
- Shaoxing Wine: Enhance the flavors of the marinade with this Chinese cooking wine you can be easily find at in local Asian markets or online.
- 5-Spice Seasoning: This gives the marinade its iconic flavor with a blend of spices.
- Red Food Coloring: Traditionally, red bean curd provides that iconic red color, but red food coloring is an easy substitute. If you don’t care for the extra color, you can skip it & your char siu will still taste absolutely delicious!
- Key Cooking & Storage Tips: I’ve included key cooking tips for flavorful & juicy Char Siu Chicken, as well as how to store any leftovers in the blog post above!
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
