Char Siu Chicken (Printer-Friendly)
Juicy marinated chicken glazed in a sticky char siu-style sauce, roasted until caramelized and garnished with scallions.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
→ Marinade
02 - 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
03 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
04 - 2 tablespoons honey
05 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
09 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
10 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring (optional, for traditional color)
→ Garnish
12 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
13 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
# How to Make It:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic, five-spice powder, ginger, sesame oil, and food coloring if using, until smooth and well combined.
02 - Add the chicken thighs to the marinade, turning to coat each piece thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for the deepest flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and place a wire roasting rack on top.
04 - Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and arrange the thighs on the rack. Reserve the leftover marinade in a bowl for basting.
05 - Roast the chicken for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush generously with the reserved marinade using a pastry brush. Return to the oven and continue roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes until the glaze is glossy, sticky, and deeply caramelized.
06 - For extra caramelization, broil the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
07 - Slice the chicken into strips, garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve alongside steamed jasmine rice and stir-fried greens.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sticky glaze caramelizes into something that looks like it took hours of professional technique, but the oven does almost all the work.
- Chicken thighs stay incredibly juicy even if you accidentally leave them in a few minutes too long, which I have done more times than I care to admit.
02 -
- Skip the roasting rack and the chicken boils in its own marinade instead of caramelizing, which I learned after a particularly disappointing Tuesday dinner.
- Basting halfway through is not optional because that second coating builds the layered, lacquered finish that makes this dish memorable.
03 -
- Marinate overnight if you possibly can because the difference between two hours and twelve hours is the difference between good and genuinely unforgettable.
- Broil in the final minutes with the oven door cracked so you can watch for the exact moment the edges blister without crossing into burned territory.