Char Siu Chicken (Spatchcock Chicken Recipe)

This Char Siu Chicken has become an absolute favorite in our home—and trust me, that’s saying something! Both of my daughters couldn’t stop raving about it. One of them even said, “This is absolutely the best of the best Char Siu Chicken!”  To make things easier and quicker, we’re going to spatchcock the chicken—a simple technique that helps the chicken cook faster and more evenly. This way, we get that irresistible Char Siu glaze perfectly caramelized all over, ensuring every bite is bursting with flavor. Whether you’re serving it fresh for dinner or prepping it ahead for the week, your family is going to love every single bite!

Char Siu Chicken Recipe

Serving 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Marinate time: Overnight
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
2 (2 pounds) whole chickens
3 tablespoons fermented red bean curd, or replace it with red food coloring
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1/8 tsp five-spice powder
1/8 tsp white pepper
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons warm water

Char Siu Chicken Instructions

1. Prepare the chickens:

• Use a paper towel to scrub the skin to remove any filaments.
• Use kitchen shears to cut out the backbone to spatchcock the chicken. Then, cut a notch into the breastbone. Do the same with the other one.

2. Marinate the chickens:

• In a mixing bowl, add the fermented red bean curd. Followed by soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, Shaoxing wine, five-spice powder, and white pepper. Whisk.
• Place the chickens inside and rub the marinade all over. Marinate them in the fridge overnight.

3. Roast the chicken, 1st time:

• The next day, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
• Put a roasting rack on top of a foil-lined roasting pan. Place the chickens on it, skin side down.
• Transfer the roasting pan to the center of the oven, and roast at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven.

4. Roast the chickens, 2nd time:

• Flip the chickens, skin side up.
• Return the roasting pan to the oven, and roast at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for another 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to make the honey glaze. In a bowl, add the honey and warm water. Whisk until combined.
• Remove the roasting pan from the oven.

5. Toast the chickens, 3rd time:

• Brush the honey glaze all over the chickens.
• Return the roasting pan to the oven, and roast at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for a final 10 minutes. Or, until the internal temperature of the chickens is at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

6. Serve:

• Remove the char siu chicken from the oven. Cut or shred them into small pieces. Enjoy!