If you love Asian food, you will go nuts over this Chinese Chicken! Made with the same Char Siu marinade as the ever popular Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu), this recipe calls for Asian staples you might already have. BBQ it, pan fry, bake or broil/grill it. The smell when this is cooking is outrageous!
Try this with a side of Fried Rice and Asian Slaw, or Asian Mushroom Ramen Noodles!
If you’ve strolled through Chinese neighbourhoods, past Chinese BBQ shops with the bronzed, glistening ducks and Chinese Barbecue Pork hanging from hooks in the window dripping with sticky glaze, then the smell when this hits the hot pan will be familiar.
And even if you’re not familiar with that smell, you will just know, you will know that this is 100% lip smackingly delicious and a total crowd pleaser. 🙂
This Chinese Chicken is the chicken version of Chinese Barbecue Pork. The marinade is slightly adjusted to make it more suitable for chicken – mainly less sugar because there’s more surface area with chicken so I find the pork Char Siu marinade a bit too sweet and also easier to cook on the BBQ/stove without burning the marinade.
And I even added the tiniest drop of red food colouring to give it that warm reddish tinge that Chinese Barbecue Pork is so well known for. (Entirely 100000% utterly and completely optional 🙂 )
And speaking of optional – the skewers are totally optional too. I just used them to do something a bit different because it dawned on me that I had done the Thai Coconut Marinated Chicken recently that would look very similar once cooked. Plus, they are handy for turning the chicken. 🙂
The flavour of this chicken is classic Chinese – it has lovely depth of flavour, it’s sweet and savoury, and a hint of Chinese Five Spice Powder flavour that makes this distinctly Char Siu. This is terrific cooked in the oven or broiled/grilled, but hands down the best way is on the BBQ or stove. That caramelisation that you get on the surface is just gold. GOLD. – Nagi xx
PS If you make this, tell me in the comments below if you agree that the smell when this is cooking is outrageous!!!!
PPS If you haven’t made it yet but you want to, tell me in the comments below if you can tell just by looking at the photos that the smell when this is cooking is outrageous!!!!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Chinese BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce (or all purpose)
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil (not critical)
- Few drops red food colouring , optional
Chicken:
- 750 g / 1.5lb chicken thigh fillets , skinless boneless (or breast)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 10 – 12 bamboo skewers , soaked in water for 1 hour (optional)
- Green onions / scallions , finely sliced, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place Marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag or bowl and mix to combine.
- Add chicken and mix to coat. Marinade for 3 – 24 hours.
- Optional: Cut chicken into bite size or large pieces and thread onto skewers. Use 1 skewer for small pieces, 2 for large, like pictured in post.
- Heat half the oil in a heavy based skillet over medium high heat, or BBQ on medium (if using grill side, brush oil on bars).
- Remove chicken from marinade (RESERVE for basting) and place in the skillet – cook in 2 batches, don’t crowd the pan. Cook for 4 minutes then turn.
- Use the Marinade to baste the cooked side of the chicken. After 3 minutes, turn the chicken over so the basted side is now cooking again – cook for 1 minute.
- Baste the chicken, then turn again and cook for 45 sec – 1 min.
- Transfer chicken to a plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve, garnished with green onions / scallions if using!
Recipe Notes:
Grill/Broil: Preheat to medium high, then cook for 6 – 7 minutes on each side (watch carefully, will get dark brown spots and can burn easily due to sugar in marinade). 4. Nutrition per serving.
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Chinese Chicken recipe video!
The ever popular Char Siu Chinese Barbecue Pork!
LIFE OF DOZER
When I feel sorry for him and let him on the couch, he certainly makes himself comfortable…..
SaveSave
Hi Nagi. If i freeze this chicken in the marinaded then say take it out 3 weeks later and thaw on the bench will the marinate be watery due to the ice thawing and also can i use the thawed out marinate to baste while its cooking?Leanne
Another “keeper” as my hubby would say. Made the marinade but cooked the chicken thighs in my Air Fryer for 10 minutes on 200 Degrees. Yum. Turned out very moist and some burnt bits on the side of the chicken (extra flavour!!) . Thanks Nagi for another brilliant recipe. xx
That’s great to hear Sharon! N x
This was wonderful
Could this recipe be used as a substitute for chinese bbq pork as a filling for bao? I’m trying to eat less pork but still want to make something similar to char siu bao.
Yes definitely Emily!! N x
I make this sauce as an “put it on anything” sauce. I’ve added it to stir-fried veggies and potstickers an practically lick the plate when I’m done.
YUM! Sounds great Ellen! N x
Can we freeze the chicken in this marinade Nagi (Sorry took me three goes)
You sure can Janis – although I like to make a big batch and cook, then freeze the left overs. Then I can defrost and chop – perfect to use in fried rice 🙂
Hi Nagi, another awesome looking recipe.
Thanks so much Janis!
Made this tonight – the kids asked if there was more!
Soooooo good, so tender and after marinating for only3 hours, and without the Chinese 5 spice, it was just perfect!
Wahoo!!!!
What if Hoisin sauce or the 5 spice powder isn’t available, live in Oaxaca, Mexico?
I have made five spice in the past. I was in NZ and the only chinese grocer around did not have any. So they told me how to make it and I did… I’d try a google because the spices themselves are more common than you think.
Hello Nagi. I’m in Northeast England. I’ve been looking for this recipe and method for s long time. My first time cooking it. This chicken is truly wonderfully flavoured! I followed you all the way through and My Wife and Me were amazed at the flavour and texture. I threw a few sliced veg in the stir fry pan…..Many thanks. Brian
Sounds like you nailed it Brian!!
You sound so enthusiastic about this recipe that I have to try it!
You’ll love it Lorraine!
This was the best flavor!! Using cast iron is the best too. Will be making this quite often. Thank you. Sheryl
You’re so welcome Sheryl, thanks so much for letting me know you loved it!
Excellent recipe! Followed exactly at tried oven and cast iron for cooking and liked the cast iron the best! Thank you so much!
Wahoo, I’m so glad you loved it!!
Light brown sugar or dark?
Thank you for all the incredible work you to for us!
I usually use light brown but dark brown is also fine – N x
Can I make this with breasts instead of thighs? Can I sous vide the chicken (or pork) before cooking? Thank you!
Hi Edythe, you can make it with breasts – I talk about this in the recipe notes. There’s really no need to sous vide – I like to keep things simple! – N x
Hi I didn’t have time to marinate but I Butterfield a whole Chicken and made two lots of marinade and basted the chicken. House smells amazing. I have Next time I will marinate the whole chicken. I will Thanks
Perfect Anna!
Saw this recipe on website tonight so have made marinade and meat is currently taking in all the flavours. Will be cooking tomorrow night with some mushroom and onion rice. Hopefully it will resemble the picture you posted I like to know what I am aiming for. Will let you know how it turns out in 24 hours time.
Wahoo, can’t wait to hear what you think Ali!
Hi Nagi, I wonder if it’s okay to slice the chicken thigh up before you cook it? to get the slices a little crispier.
Thanks!
Hi Jake, you sure can!
This is incredibly tasty and seemingly quite an authentic dish. I just made it EXACTLY according to the recipe. Well, times 6! It looked promising, so I’m glad I have a ton of marinade left (now freezing for longevity). Thanks Nagi!
Nagi – help! I only have dark soy sauce. Can I use this instead?
Hi Amelia, dark soy is darker in colour and slightly sweeter but should be fine to substitute the soy in this recipe.