Char Siu Chicken
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.
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!
Video
Notes
Use Skin on Chicken for this recipe, Thighs and Legs are best as they come out juicy and moist.
Marinate atleast for few hours or best if overnight for the chicken to have a good flavor seep into it.
The Taste of Chinese five-spice powder is almost similar only Garam Masala is more stronger and does not include star anise in it.
Chinese five-spice powder is a ground spice blend of five or more different spices. The five refers to the traditional Chinese flavors i.e sweet, bitter, sour, salty and savory. The Main ingredients are Chinese cinnamon (cassia), star anise, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorn, and cloves.
Chinese five spice has a warm cinnamon flavor with sweet liquorice-like tones from the star anise and fennel seeds. It might have mouth-numbing tingling sensation from the Sichuan peppercorns.