Char Siu Chicken
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Andrea Nguyen’s char siu chicken proves you can get big flavor without any fuss—and that sticky, flavorful glaze makes it a surefire favorite for your dinner rotation.
Photo by Aubrie Pick © 2019
This easy char siu chicken recipe comes from Vietnamese Food Any Day: Simple Recipes for True, Fresh Flavors by Andrea Nguyen. Nguyen describes char siu as “savory-sweet and garlicky Chinese barbecued pork, called char siu in Cantonese and xá xíu in Vietnamese.” Since the classic pork version needs a long marinade—an hour or ideally overnight—her weeknight take uses chicken thighs for that wonderful old-school flavor.
Enjoy this char siu chicken with jasmine rice or a salad for dinner, then use leftovers for banh mi, noodle soup, or fried rice. The only tweak I made was doubling the sauce because it’s that good.
“I’ve had char siu pork but never chicken—it was fantastic! It tastes like chinese bbq. I’ll be adding this dish to my faves for sure!”
What You’ll Need To Make Char Siu Chicken
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: Juicy and full of flavor, chicken thighs stay tender and juicy and soak up the marinade beautifully. If you’d rather use white meat, chicken tenderloins work too; keep in mind they cook in about half the time, and you’ll need a bit less since there’s no trimming needed.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds a savory kick and depth to the marinade.
- Chinese Five-Spice Powder: This fragrant blend (typically made up of star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon (or cassia), Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds) brings warm, slightly sweet spice notes that pair perfectly with the sticky glaze.
- Honey, Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce & Ketchup: This combo creates a sweet, tangy, and salty marinade that caramelizes beautifully as the chicken cooks.
- Sesame Oil: Adds a subtle nutty richness that ties all the flavors together.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions For Char Siu Chicken
Step 1: Make the marinade. In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, five-spice powder, honey, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, and sesame oil until smooth.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken. Set aside about half the marinade for glazing later. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss to coat well. Cover and marinate at room temp for 30 minutes or in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Step 3: Cook the chicken. Lightly oil a cast-iron grill pan and set over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 6 to 10 minutes, turning a few times. Test for doneness by piercing with a knife—the juices should run clear. During the last 2 minutes, baste with the reserved marinade for extra flavor and shine. Alternatively, you can cook the chicken on the grill.
More Asian Chicken Recipes You May Like
Char Siu Chicken
Savory, sweet, and packed with flavor—this char siu chicken makes an easy weeknight winner.
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see note if you prefer white meat)
- 2 large garlic cloves, put through a press or minced and mashed
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- ¼ cup honey, preferably amber colored
- Brimming ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- Scant 4 teaspoons sesame oil
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then trim and discard any big fat pads. If the thighs are large or super-uneven in thickness, butterfly each one. Lay the thigh, smooth-side down, on your cutting board. Wielding your knife horizontally, slash the big mound of flesh to create a flap of meat, stopping just shy of cutting all the way through. Fold back the meat flap that you just created. The thigh should now be about 50 percent longer and relatively even in thickness. If the result seems awkwardly large, cut it crosswise into two smaller, square-ish pieces. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, five-spice powder, honey, hoisin, soy sauce, ketchup, and sesame oil. Remove about half the marinade and set aside for glazing the chicken. Add the chicken to the bowl, coating the pieces well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 24 hours (return to room temperature before cooking).
- Lightly oil a cast-iron stove-top grill pan and set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 to 10 minutes, turning several times. To test for doneness, pierce the flesh with the tip of a knife; the chicken is cooked when clear juices flow out. During the last 2 minutes, when the chicken feels firmish, baste with the reserved marinade to freshen flavor and add sheen. (Alternatively, prepare a medium charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium and cook the chicken for 10 to 12 minutes, basting during the last 3 minutes.) Transfer to a platter and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- Note: If you'd prefer to use white meat, use 2 pounds of chicken tenderloins. (The reason you'll need slightly less is because they don't need to be trimmed.) Keep in mind that they'll cook in about half the time.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 334
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Sugar: 16 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Sodium: 844 mg
- Cholesterol: 178 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Delicious!! I’ve made this recipe with garam masala before and it was good. Tonight I’m following the full directions and it is delicious! It’s worth the $8 Chinese five spice powder in this dish. Amazing as always – thank you!
This was delicious. I made it exactly as written but I butterflied the chicken thighs and cut into approximately 2” squares. I will definitely make this again
I didn’t have chicken but I had a pork tenderloin that had to be used. I did cut it into four, cut each piece in half, then butterflied each piece. We don’t like 5 spice but a little research indicated that garam masala could be used instead, so I used that. Marinated the meat for about 3 hours, then threw it on a preheated grill. BEAUTIFUL grill marks!! Served it with peas and carrots in basmati rice. Really wonderful flavour and so easy to make. I will definitely make it again, and will certainly try it with chicken. Thank-you for the wonderful recipe!!
Do you think I can marinate the chicken and freeze the whole thing until I am ready to bbq it?
Thanks
Sure – hope you enjoy!
Simply Fabulous. Made this for dinner with my husband- quick prep in the afternoon and let marinate for about 3-4 hours. Grilled and served with corn on the cob and green salad. Perfect for an easy but delicious meal. Can’t wait to serve at a future dinner party- I love recipes that are so easy but taste “complicated”. 🙂
This recipe was delicious thank you! I only had chicken breasts, and had to substitute a few ingredients, but it was still very delicious. I did not have a grill so I did it directly on a cast iron pan, and enjoyed how the charred black bits were not bitter. Thanks for making an easy weeknight dinner.
Made as written with a splash of lime juice and mango chutney before serving…delicious. I had jasmine rice. Am going to try freezing some, do you think it will work? Jenn, could I make this earlier in the day, adding the peas when i reheat it and then the yogurt and cilantro? Love it when I can relax, not cook, before having guests for dinner.
Hi Carol, It sounds like you may be referring to a different recipe. Is that right?
Great way to have chicken thighs, even if you are not a lover of thighs. I made the Thai Crunch salad ( my fave) with this . Was awesome!
I first has this style of chicken from a take-out restaurant and when I went back to order it again it had been taken off the menu. I searched high and low for a recipe that would bring back the memory of that meal and I found it with Jenn Segal’s dead simple but absolutely delicious recipe for Char Siu Chicken. Make sure you marinade it as directed and we baste frequently for a glossy, juicy crusty edge to our chicken pieces!
It has become a family go to favourite served with jasmine rice, a sweet and sour cucumber salad and if in season green beans or grilled brocollini or grilled rapini. Delicious!
this rendition is fabulous! the ingredients are probably already in your pantry and, if not, are a worthwhile investment because you will be making this dish many times (and they are versatile). tasted better than any takeout!!!