Description
This Char Siu Chicken Roast is a flavorful Chinese-style dish featuring chicken thighs marinated in a savory-sweet blend of honey, soy sauces, oyster sauce, and aromatic spices. The chicken is oven-roasted to perfection with a luscious glaze made from its own marinade, resulting in tender, juicy meat with a slightly charred, caramelized exterior. Perfect served with steamed rice or noodles, this recipe brings authentic Asian flavors to your home kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 300g (10.5 oz) chicken thighs (skin-on, bone-in or boneless, as preferred)
Marinade
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (or kecap manis)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, pureed or grated
- 1-inch piece ginger, pureed or grated
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- Pinch of white pepper
- 1 tsp red food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a bowl, combine honey, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, pureed garlic and ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, white pepper, and red food coloring if using. Stir thoroughly until the sugar dissolves and all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Marinate the Chicken: Coat the chicken thighs evenly with the prepared marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to deeply penetrate the meat.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top so the chicken can cook evenly with air circulating around it.
- Arrange the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the marinade and place each piece on the wire rack. Reserve the remaining marinade for later glazing.
- Roast the Chicken: Place the baking sheet with the chicken in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the Glaze: While the chicken roasts, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and simmer it over low heat for 3-5 minutes, reducing it into a thick glaze.
- Baste and Finish Roasting: After the initial 20 minutes of roasting, brush the thickened glaze generously over the chicken, flip the pieces over, and glaze the other side. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for an additional 15-20 minutes until cooked through and slightly charred on the edges.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with steamed rice, noodles, or your preferred side dishes.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken overnight enhances the flavor and tenderness significantly.
- Using skin-on chicken thighs helps keep the meat moist during roasting.
- Red food coloring is optional but traditional for an authentic char siu appearance.
- Make sure to simmer the leftover marinade to safely thicken it into a glaze, avoiding cross-contamination.
- Adjust cooking time depending on the size and thickness of chicken pieces to ensure they are fully cooked.
