{"id":26124,"date":"2021-08-17T13:23:47","date_gmt":"2021-08-17T05:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tasteasianfood.com\/?p=26124"},"modified":"2024-02-29T18:12:51","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T10:12:51","slug":"char-siu-chicken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tasteasianfood.com\/mystaging\/char-siu-chicken\/","title":{"rendered":"Char Siu Chicken – easy Chinese grilled recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You can prepare Char siu (Chinese barbecue meat) with chicken, not just pork.\u00a0 Here is the recipe for char siu chicken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cha siu chicken is an improvisation from the traditional Chinese BBQ Pork prepared with pork belly and shoulder loin. The flavor of char siu chicken is as good as char siu pork but is way healthier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This simple recipe creates a taste close to the Cantonese-style char siu sold in the restaurant.  Although it looks complicated, it involves only a few simple steps. All you need is to combine the ingredients and marinate the chicken overnight, then roast it to perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You do not need complicated skills, as success mainly lies in the composition of the marinade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my <\/em>privacy policy<\/em><\/a> for more info. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Char<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

1. How to prepare the char siu marinade<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most important part of making char siu is making a good marinade. Although there is no specific formula for char siu marinade, it generally contains a relatively high sugar to create those mouth-watering charred marks.\u00a0 Light soy sauce and oyster sauce are the main ingredients for the savory flavor, but some recipes also include Hoisin sauce and Chu Hou sauce. In addition, red fermented beancurd or red yeast rice has a distinctive red color, making the char siu look appetizing.\u00a0 Besides that, other ingredients are free to include or omit to follow according to your liking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a brief explanation of each ingredient in the marinade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The core ingredients<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Honey <\/a>is the key ingredient, as the name is \u871c\u6c41\u53c9\u70e7\u9e21, and in Chinese, it means honey char siu chicken.\u00a0 Since honey is one of many ingredients in the marinade, the taste difference is insignificant when using different types of honey.\u00a0Honey helps to improve the flavor and form a sticky glaze on the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown sugar is better than white sugar as it has a stronger caramelized flavor. However, you can substitute it with white sugar, as the impact is insignificant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This char siu chicken recipe also needs some finely minced garlic and Shaoxing wine. Five-spice powder is optional if you include either Hoisin or Chu Hou sauce in the recipe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Light soy sauce<\/a>, dark soy sauce<\/a>, and oyster sauce<\/a> are the main components that provide the saltiness and savory flavor to the chicken. However, some cooks prefer to use them more instead of adding salt, providing more flavor to the chicken. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A simplified char siu marinade only consists of these ingredients, but the flavor is elevated to the next level after adding the following ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The specialty ingredients<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fermented bean curds (lam yu\/\u5357\u4e73)<\/a> are a unique ingredient.\u00a0 You might already be familiar with this item if you have been cooking traditional Chinese food before, as it is also the key ingredient for preparing braised pork belly with taro<\/a> (\u5357\u4e73\u6263\u8089) and Buddha\u2019s delights<\/a>. It looks like small cubes of cheese in a savory brine with a bright red color. This specialty item has an intense savory flavor that no other food ingredients are close to. Besides its exceptional taste, it helps to produce the signature red color of char siu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red yeast rice results from rice fermented with a type of yeast (Monascus purpureus). It has a bright red color mainly used as the natural coloring in Chinese cuisine, such as Peking duck and other barbecue meats. Besides that, It has medicinal value and naturally contains lovastatin, an anti-cholesterol component that reduces cholesterol. However, you may not need it if you use the red fermented beancurd, which will provide the red color you need. If you want to use red yeast rice, break up the rice with the mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and add it to the marinade. Lastly, you may consider adding some red food coloring to improve the color, which I do not recommend for home cooking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hoisin sauce<\/a> has a complex flavor derived mainly from its main component, fermented soybean paste. It also contains sesame paste, chili pepper, garlic, and other spices.\u00a0 The name Hoisin \u6d77\u9c9c means seafood in Chinese, but there is no seafood, nor is it only used for cooking seafood. Instead, it is the primary seasoning for a variety of meat dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chu Hou sauce\/paste<\/a> is a Cantonese specialty sauce consisting of soybean, sesame oil, and garlic.\u00a0 A Chinese chef invented it over two hundred years ago for his restaurant in Foshan, Guangdong. The owner, Mr. Leong, made this concoction, and the formula was passed down through generations. Its flavor is similar to Hoisin sauce and can be substituted with Hoisin sauce if unavailable. It should be available in the Asian grocery store near you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n