Char Siu Chicken Recipe
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott, adapted from Baby Sumo
Recipe Overview
Preparation time: 5 minutes plus 6 hours to overnight marinating time
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Makes: 6 chicken thighs (1.5 thighs per person)
Ingredients Needed
- 1kg/2.2lbs chicken thigh fillets, skinless (around 6)
- 2 tablespoons/40g/1.4ozs honey
- 2 tablespoons/30ml/2flozs brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons/30ml/2flozs soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons/30ml/2flozs Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (optional see note above)
- 3/4 teaspoon five spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Red food colouring (optional see note above)
- Oil for drizzling
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 MIX - Mix the honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, five spice powder, garlic powder and red food colouring in a small bowl stirring until honey is dispersed.
Step 2 MARINATE - Place chicken thighs in a ziplock bag and pour marinade over the chicken. Massage so that the marinade gets in all of the crevices of chicken. Refrigerate overnight. Turn over halfway if you remember. Remove chicken from fridge 30 minutes before you want to start cooking.
Step 3A OVEN - Preheat oven to 180C/350F fan forced or 200C/400F conventional and place chicken fillets smooth side up on a parchment lined tray. Drizzle with a little oil. Roast for 15 minutes then turn over and roast smooth side down for 10 minutes. Then turn right way up, add a tablespoon more marinade per fillet and roast for 5 minutes.
Step 3B AIRFRYER - If using airfryer, cook in air fryer for 20 minutes (after 5 minutes preheating). Turn over halfway.
Step 5 GLAZE - While the chicken is cooking, pour marinade in a small saucepan and simmer for 3-5 minutes on medium heat until slightly thickened and the consistency of maple syrup.
Step 6 SLICE - Rest chicken for 10 minutes and then slice up. Serve with steamed white rice and greens.
Personal Note
Something very cute happened to Mr NQN recently. Around Christmas time I told him that I wanted to get a walking pad because the weather was too unpredictable to go walking (I'm obsessed with my steps). Mr NQN suggested that we get one from facebook marketplace as I think he was afraid I'd use it half a dozen times and then forget about it. He also wanted to use one so Mr NQN went and found one and went to pick it up.
He ended up buying it from a friendly Chinese guy who lived nearby. It was a hot day when he went to pick it up. As he was walking to the door Mr NQN saw the mum looking out the front curtain. Then moments later the guy came out with a can of cold ginger beer for him - he was very young and very shy but he got the feeling that his mum told him that he had to offer their visitor a cold drink as it was such a hot day. It reminded me of my family who always greeted visitors with a cold or hot drink. It was also like when he went kayaking in Vietnam along the Mekong River and the guys in a house boat invited him for a beer!
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever tried making char siu at home? And do you use an air fryer?