Description
Sweet, sticky, and savory, this Char Siu Chicken is a simplified version of the beloved Chinese BBQ pork—made with chicken thighs and a bold marinade that caramelizes beautifully. Perfect for rice bowls, bao buns, or meal prep.
Ingredients
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
0.5 tsp red food coloring (optional)
0.5 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
1. Whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, Chinese five spice, minced garlic, red food coloring (if using), white pepper, and brown sugar in a medium bowl.
2. Place the chicken thighs in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour in the marinade and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F or preheat grill to medium-high. Remove chicken from marinade (reserving marinade) and place on foil-lined baking sheet or grill.
4. Bake or grill for 25–30 minutes, basting halfway through with reserved marinade until chicken is fully cooked and caramelized.
5. For charred edges, broil for 2–3 minutes at the end. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
6. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Notes
For best results, marinate overnight.
Skip the red food coloring if you prefer natural color.
To meal prep, slice the chicken after cooking and portion it with rice and vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked or Grilled
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: char siu chicken, Chinese BBQ chicken, easy chicken marinade