Chicken char siu is a pleasant twist to the traditional Chinese pork char siu (Chinese BBQ pork). It can be easily prepared on the stove and is perfect for a weeknight meal.
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Have a taste and see if you like the taste. Adjust to your preference. Pour into a large plastic bag. Put the chicken thigh into the bag, push all the air out and seal the bag. Move and gently squeeze the chicken pieces to make sure the marinade coat the chicken. Lay the bag flat on a plate and put them in the fridge to let them marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight is best if you have the time
Cooking:
Preheat a large non-stick pan. You can also use a grill pan if you want. Add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil. Place the chicken thigh pieces and let them cook for about 8-10 minutes to let it brown a little bit and then flip over and cook another 6-8 minutes. Check if the chicken is cooked through. The juice should run clear (no longer bloody). Remove the chicken pieces from the stove
Pour the marinade into the pan and bring it to a simmer and cook until it's bubbly and reduce and thicken slightly since it has sugar and honey in the marinade. Add the chicken pieces back in and toss them in the sauce to make sure they are nicely coated in the sweet and sticky sauce
Serving:
Let them rest for 5 minutes before cutting into slices and serve
Video
Notes
You may skip this if you don't have any but you need to compensate for the savory taste the red fermented bean curd provides. You can adjust by adding a bit more soy sauce