Let’s make the perfect Char Siu Chicken in just 30 minutes without using an oven. I know, it sounds a bit crazy since traditional Char Siu usually takes hours to prepare and roast. But trust me, you can have all that juicy, flavorful goodness in no time!
Char Siu Chicken Recipe
Serving: 2-4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
For the chicken:
4 pieces (1 ½ pounds) chicken thighs, boneless
3 cloves garlic, minced
For the sauce:
2 pieces fermented red bean curd
2 tablespoons fermented red bean curd sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 cup water
Char Siu Chicken Instructions
To prepare the chicken:
- Slice the chicken meat about 1 inch apart, without cutting all the way through. (This will allow the chicken to absorb more flavors and cook faster.)
To prepare the char siu sauce:
- In a bowl, mix together the fermented red bean curd, fermented red bean curd sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, honey, five-spice powder, white pepper, and water.
To pan fry the chicken:
- In a pan over medium heat, place the chicken thighs skin side down. (The chicken skin will release its own oil, so there’s no need to add extra oil.)
- Pan-fry for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Then, flip the chicken and pan-fry for another 2 minutes until golden brown.
To make the char siu chicken:
- Pour the char siu sauce into the pan. Cover the pan with a lid, and braise for about 15 minutes until completely cooked through. (Because we’re braising the chicken the entire time, that’s why we didn’t even have to marinate it. And naturally, the char siu chicken will turn out incredibly juicy!)
- Uncover the lid, increase to high heat, and reduce the sauce for about 3 minutes. Continuously pour the sauce over the char siu chicken during this time. Ensure the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165 degrees F or 74 degrees C.
