Description
Char siu chicken brings explosive Cantonese barbecue magic straight to your dinner table with a marinade that sings with sweet and savory notes. Tender chicken thighs glazed in rich sauce deliver a restaurant-quality meal that sparks smiles around your family’s plate.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Sauces and Seasonings:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
Aromatics and Oils:
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon red food coloring
- Green onions
Instructions
- Whisk ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon five-spice powder, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 inch grated ginger, and optional ¼ teaspoon red food coloring into a smooth, fragrant marinade.
- Immerse 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs completely in the marinade, ensuring each piece gets thoroughly coated. Seal the bowl and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Warm your grill or oven precisely to 400°F. Lightly oil grill grates if using an outdoor grill.
- Extract chicken from marinade, letting excess liquid drip back into the bowl. Keep the reserved marinade for basting.
- Position chicken on grill or baking sheet. Cook for 25-30 minutes, rotating periodically and brushing with reserved marinade.
- Check internal temperature reaches exactly 165°F. Your chicken should display a rich, caramelized exterior.
- Transfer chicken from heat source and allow 5 minutes resting time before slicing.
- Garnish with fresh sliced green onions before serving your aromatic char siu chicken.
Notes
- Marinating overnight transforms this chicken from good to incredible, letting each piece soak up deep, complex flavors from the sauce.
- Brushing extra marinade while cooking creates a gorgeous caramelized exterior that gives the chicken a restaurant-quality finish.
- When grilling, watch the heat carefully to prevent burning, as the honey in the marinade can quickly blacken if the temperature is too high.
- For a gluten-free version, swap traditional soy sauce with tamari and use gluten-free hoisin sauce to keep all the amazing flavor intact.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg