How to make Char Siu Chicken, a Chinese-style red honey roasted BBQ chicken.
Char Siu or Char Siew is one of those classic Chinese dishes that most of us know and love. Char Siu is traditionally made with pork, but this recipe replaces it with chicken. Char Siu is a Chinese-style roast that is savoury, sweet and sticky.
This recipe is an ultra easy, oven-roasted barbecue chicken that is one of my ultimate go-tos!
Char Siu Chicken is very versatile. Personally I love eating this with chicken rice – you should really check out my one pan chicken rice recipe. You can also top noodles with this! It’s also fabulous when eaten by itself.
The Best Oven Settings to make Char Siu Chicken
I used boneless chicken legs, which is the entire chicken thigh and drumstick portion attached. I realise it’s not the easiest to find for most, so use boneless chicken thighs as per ingredients list below.
Boneless chicken that is flattened out takes much less time to cook in the oven. 20 minutes at a preheated 200 deg celcius temperature in my oven was able to cook the chicken thoroughly. If uncertain, keep the chicken in longer in the oven – fattier chicken parts will not dry out easily.
I used chicken thighs, but this recipe can also work on chicken breasts at the same temperature and timing. Try not to keep it in for too long if using breasts as it tends to dry out more. I replicated this with chicken breasts with my Kolo Mee recipe.
If you are using bone-in chicken parts, you want to double, perhaps even triple, the oven time to 35 to 45 minutes. Check that the internal temperature at the thickest part of the chicken has hit 74 deg celcius or 165 deg fahrenheit to ensure it’s cooked through. Or poke a fork through the thickest part and make sure the juices run clear and blood-less.
Can I make this in an Air Fryer?
Definitely! I do not own an air fryer because I have an oven. An air fryer is essentially just a smaller oven!
To make this in an air fryer, and if using boneless chicken thighs, stick to a 200 deg celcius or 390 deg fahrenheit. Many have tried my recipe at this setting, and with good results! Another air-fryer user commented that they tried at 180 degrees celcius setting, which also cooked the chicken through. This would also work for chicken breasts.
Similarly, if using bone-in chicken, double or triple the time in the air fryer. Again, you want to check that it’s cooked all the way through.
Do I need the Red Food Colouring?
Not at all! The red food colouring is optional. I usually omit it. I only added it in to make it look as close to what you get at the shops as possible. And yes – unfortunately most char siews you buy these days are dyed red with food colouring. It does make it look more appetising, but if at home, I try not to add unnecessary chemicals to my food.
Alternatively, you can get organic red beetroot colouring. Paprika powder is also an option, though there will be a mild spice (which sounds awesome to me).
The authentic way of colouring is by the red in fermented tofu, which unfortunately is not easily found here. If you have that available, you can most definitely use it. Be wary of salt content, and adjust the other seasonings.
What is Chinese Five Spice Powder?
Ready-made, bottled Chinese five-spice powder is easily found in supermarkets here in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
It is usually a blend of five (duh) ground spices, usually Cinnamon, Cloves, Star Anise, Coriander Seeds and Cumin. It is not uncommon for other spices to be included such as Fennel and Sichuan Peppercorns, depending on the brand. I don’t find there to be much difference between the different brands. Find it in the spice section (where the white and black peppers will be), labelled as Five Spice Powder or Chinese Five Spice Powder.
I can’t find the brand I personally used on the website, but it’s a local brand and costs super cheap, some $1-ish. More than good enough 🙂
Making the Sauce for Char Siu Chicken
In the video, I boiled the leftover marinade and let it reduce to create a sticky sauce that you can pour over your rice.
I know there might be concern over reusing marinade due to bacteria, but personally I’ve never had any issues. I always make sure to boil it for a while so logically any present bacteria would be killed off. If you want to err on the side of caution, then discard the marinade.
When making the marinade for the chicken, simply make another potion of the marinade. With the extra portion – that obviously has not touched the chicken – to make the sauce. All you do is add the sauce to a pan over medium to high heat. Allow the sauce to boil and bubble, it will also start to reduce and thicken.
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