Char Siu Chicken is a Chinese style, roasted BBQ chicken marinated in a sweet and savory sauce. Made with boneless chicken legs with thighs , it’s super juicy and tastes savory with a hint of sweetness and grilled to have just enough char. Though traditionally made with pork, the same recipe can be used for chicken as well.
Though traditionally made with pork, the same recipe can be used for chicken as well with just minimum ingredients. Adapted from Char siu (εη§)or Chinese BBQ pork which is a popular Cantonese style of roast pork. It’s also known as char siew, and in Mandarin, it’s cha shao.
In this video, I have provided two cooking methods to show how it can be made both using an oven and on a frying pan on stovetop. This is such an easy and delicious chicken recipe that you can make this using any skin on chicken pieces within just a few minutes.
Char Siu Chicken
Ingredients
FOR MARINATE
- 4 boneless chicken legs with thighs with skin (500gms)
- Hoisin Sauce 4 Tbsp (if unavailable replace with Oyster sauce)
- Oyster Sauce 2 Tbsp
- Honey 3 Tbsp
- Dark soy sauce 4 Tbsp
- Chinese Five Spice powder 2 Tsp (If unavailable use 1 Tsp Garam Masala/Allspice powder)
- Ginger Garlic paste 1 Tbsp
- White Pepper powder 1/2 Tsp
FOR BASTING
- 2 Tbsp of the above Hoisin,Oyster,Honey & Dark Soy Sauce mix
- Liquid Red Food color 1/2 Tsp
Instructions
- I used chicken legs attached with the thighs with skin on and removed the bones. I have shown in the video how to do it without tearing the skin. You can use any skin on chicken pieces or use only chicken thighs. If using bones, the cooking time may be longer.
- Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly with salt, water and vinegar to get red of any blood. Mix the Hoisin, Oyster, Honey and Dark Soy Sauce together first. Take out 2 Tbsp of it to use it as a basting sauce during frying/baking.
- Add Chinese Five Spice powder, Ginger Garlic paste and White pepper. Mix Well. If Chinese Five Spice powder is unavailable then you can use 1 Tsp of Garam Masala/Allspice powder instead. Check the notes below to read more about it.
- Marinate the Chicken pieces in the sauce mix by immersing completely. Keep airtight marinated for atleast 2 hours or overnight.
- Add food color to the Basting sauce to get a bright tint to get the traditional look of the Red Char Siu. But its optional. The Honey and Dark Soy sauce will give a darker glossy finish.
- I baked two pieces in oven and remaining two in a frying pan just to show how it can be made both ways. Bake at 25-30 Mins at 200C/390F Flipping the sides Halfway. Apply the Basting Sauce on both sides and Bake further for 5mins or till charred at the edges slightly.
- Fry in Oil on Medium Heat initially with skin side down till golden brown slightly and then apply the basting sauce, turn the side down, cook on LOW flame. Keep applying the basting sauce and turning the sides till nice and charred slightly. Took around 30-35mins on the pan.
- Both had almost identical look only the oven roasted ones had perfect charred edges.
- Slice them lengthwise and serve on a bed of steamed/fried rice with veggies or greens on the side. Bon Appetit!