Ingredient: bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

Char Siu has been around for many years and was generally roasted over a fire. Nowadays, you can BBQ it, pan fry, bake or broil/grill it. No matter which way you choose to cook char siu, the shiny red glaze gives it a very unique look and flavor. Char siu doesn’t have a lot of fancy ingredients or complicated procedures. Instead, it pairs a tasty marinade with a lean cut of quality meat for a super good meal.

Char siu chicken is a sweet and savory dish of chicken that’s marinated and cooked in the style of the traditional Chinese barbecue pork dish, char siu. The chicken is marinated and placed on wooden skewers. It’s cooked until tender but not falling apart. The use of the skewers changes how the meat cooks. It should heat slowly and evenly from all sides.

The char siu marinade is very distinctive in its flavor …  classic Chinese. It has a lovely depth of flavor, it’s sweet and savory, and a hint of Chinese Five Spice Powder flavor that makes this distinctly Char Siu. 

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Char Siu Chicken

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Keyword

char siu chicken

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Marinade

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp LIGHT soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
• 1/2 tsp sesame seed oil, optional
• Few drops red food coloring, optional

Chicken

• 750 gm (1 1/2 LBS.) boneless/skinless chicken thighs
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 10-12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour
• Green onions, sliced for garnish
• steamed rice for serving

Keyword char siu chicken Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Marinade 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp brown sugar 1 1/2 Tbsp honey 1 1/2 Tbsp hoisin sauce 2 tsp oyster sauce 1 1/2 Tbsp LIGHT soy sauce 1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder 1/2 tsp sesame seed oil, optional Few drops red food coloring, optional Chicken 750 gm (1 1/2 LBS.) boneless/skinless chicken thighs 1 Tbsp oil 10-12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour Green onions, sliced for garnish steamed rice for serving

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Place marinade ingredients in a large Ziplock bag & mix to combine.
2. Cut chicken into bite size or leave as individual large pieces & thread onto skewers. Carefully place chicken in bag & seal, turning to coat chicken. Marinade for 3 – 24 hours. Soak bamboo skewers prior to using.
3. Preheat oven to 425 F.
4. Remove skewers (reserve marinade) from Ziplock bag & lay across a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes then remove from oven & baste with some of the excess marinade. Return to oven to continue roasting, basting another couple of times before chicken is completely cooked. Be sure not to overcook thighs so they are nice & moist.
5. Prepare rice while chicken is roasting. When chicken is cooked, transfer rice & chicken to a serving plate & sprinkle with green onions.

Recipe Notes

• Alternately you can grill the chicken over medium-high heat for about 6-7 minutes per side. Watch carefully as they can easily burn due to the sugar in marinade.