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Char Siu Chicken: A Sweet and Savory Chinese BBQ Delight


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  • Author: Julie
  • Total Time: 45 minutes (plus marinating time)
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Char Siu Chicken is a delicious, flavorful dish inspired by Chinese BBQ pork. This version uses juicy chicken thighs, marinated in a savory-sweet sauce with hoisin, red fermented bean curd, and Chinese five spice, then basted with a sticky glaze for a perfect caramelized finish. It’s a wonderful dish for both weeknight dinners and special occasions!


Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken:

  • 1 lb skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

For the Chicken Marinade:

  • ⅓ cup red fermented bean curd

  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce

  • ¼ cup brown sugar (light or dark brown sugar)

  • ⅓ cup regular soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or Dry Sherry wine) or chicken broth for a non-alcoholic version

  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice

For the Basting Sauce:

  • 1 ½ tablespoons honey or maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

  • 1 tablespoon red fermented bean curd


Instructions

For the Chicken:

  • 1 lb skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

For the Chicken Marinade:

  • ⅓ cup red fermented bean curd

  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce

  • ¼ cup brown sugar (light or dark brown sugar)

  • ⅓ cup regular soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or Dry Sherry wine) or chicken broth for a non-alcoholic version

  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice

For the Basting Sauce:

 

  • 1 ½ tablespoons honey or maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

  • 1 tablespoon red fermented bean curd

Notes

  • For extra flavor, you can marinate the chicken overnight.

  • If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, dry sherry is a good substitute, or you can use chicken broth for a non-alcoholic version.

 

  • The basting sauce can be doubled if you prefer a thicker glaze.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus marinating time)
  • Cook Time: 35-40 minutes (for baking) or 12-16 minutes (for grilling)
  • Category: Main Dish, Chinese-Inspired
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Chinese