Hong Kong BBQ Chicken (Char Siu Style)
Hong Kong BBQ Chicken (Char Siu Style)
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
For the Char Siu Marinade
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring, optional, for traditional color
For the Glaze (optional)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons marinade, reserved from chicken
For Serving
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. If the thighs are very thick, you can butterfly them slightly to ensure even cooking, but keep them mostly intact.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Make the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, five-spice powder, and red food coloring (if using) until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the bowl with the marinade, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight (up to 12 hours) for best flavor. If marinating overnight, flip the chicken once or twice.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Prepare for cooking: Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking to bring it closer to room temperature. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl for the glaze, if desired. Discard any remaining marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Cook the chicken (stovetop method): Heat a large non-stick skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil if your pan isn't perfectly non-stick. Place the chicken thighs in the hot pan, skin-side down if they still have skin (though this recipe assumes skinless). Cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and has a beautiful caramelized char. Reduce heat to medium if the chicken is browning too quickly.
⏱️ 20 min
- 6
Alternatively, cook the chicken (grill method): Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 400°F or 200°C). Lightly oil the grill grates. Place the chicken thighs on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the chicken has nice grill marks and is slightly charred.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 400
- 7
Make the glaze (optional): While the chicken is cooking, combine the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade with 1 tablespoon of honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened (about 2-3 minutes). This will be used to brush on the cooked chicken.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Rest and serve: Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. If using the glaze, brush it generously over the chicken. Slice the chicken against the grain into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Serve immediately with rice and steamed vegetables.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Hong Kong BBQ Chicken (Char Siu Style)
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
For the Char Siu Marinade
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring, optional, for traditional color
For the Glaze (optional)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons marinade, reserved from chicken
For Serving
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. If the thighs are very thick, you can butterfly them slightly to ensure even cooking, but keep them mostly intact.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Make the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, five-spice powder, and red food coloring (if using) until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the bowl with the marinade, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight (up to 12 hours) for best flavor. If marinating overnight, flip the chicken once or twice.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Prepare for cooking: Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking to bring it closer to room temperature. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl for the glaze, if desired. Discard any remaining marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Cook the chicken (stovetop method): Heat a large non-stick skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil if your pan isn't perfectly non-stick. Place the chicken thighs in the hot pan, skin-side down if they still have skin (though this recipe assumes skinless). Cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and has a beautiful caramelized char. Reduce heat to medium if the chicken is browning too quickly.
⏱️ 20 min - 6
Alternatively, cook the chicken (grill method): Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 400°F or 200°C). Lightly oil the grill grates. Place the chicken thighs on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the chicken has nice grill marks and is slightly charred.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 400 - 7
Make the glaze (optional): While the chicken is cooking, combine the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade with 1 tablespoon of honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened (about 2-3 minutes). This will be used to brush on the cooked chicken.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Rest and serve: Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. If using the glaze, brush it generously over the chicken. Slice the chicken against the grain into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Serve immediately with rice and steamed vegetables.
⏱️ 5 min