Authentic Char Siu Chicken (Printable)

Tender roasted chicken glazed with sweet and savory Chinese-style marinade, caramelized to perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

→ Char Siu Marinade

02 - 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
03 - 3 tbsp honey
04 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
05 - 2 tbsp oyster sauce
06 - 1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
07 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
08 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
09 - 1 tsp five-spice powder
10 - 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
11 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 1/4 tsp red food coloring (optional)

→ Garnish

13 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced
14 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds

# Method:

01 - Whisk together hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, sesame oil, five-spice powder, ginger, garlic, and food coloring if using, until smooth and well combined.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the marinade, tossing to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for maximum flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top.
04 - Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the liquid for basting. Place chicken pieces on the wire rack with space between each piece for proper air circulation.
05 - Roast for 20 minutes to begin the caramelization process and render excess fat.
06 - Baste chicken generously with reserved marinade, flip each piece, and baste again. Return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, basting once more halfway through, until edges are caramelized and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - Let chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Slice against the grain, garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds, and serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The marinade creates that perfect balance of sweet and savory that makes takeout so irresistible
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy even after high-heat roasting
  • Leftovers (if you somehow have any) make incredible next-day lunch bowls
02 -
  • The wire rack setup is not optional without it, the chicken sits in its own juices and boils instead of roasting
  • Red food coloring is purely for that classic restaurant look but absolutely affects nothing about flavor
  • That last blast of high heat is what creates the charred edges that make this taste like real char siu
03 -
  • Pat the chicken dry before marinating if you want even better caramelization
  • Double the marinade recipe and freeze half with raw chicken for an instant future dinner

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