One of my favorite recipes for Chicken Leg Quarters is Char Siu Chicken. The sweet and savory flavors combined with that beautiful red color is pure poultry perfection.
I more commonly see Char Siu made with pork but chicken leg quarters are fantastic and lend themselves well to the flavors in this recipe.
The color of the chicken quarters reminds me of tandoori style chicken but the flavor profile couldn’t be more different even though I love both dishes separately.
How To Make Char Siu Chicken Leg Quarters
The ingredients used in this recipe are commonly found in char six but this is my take on the recipe.
Honestly its one of my favorite chicken recipes on the planet and I feel I did it justice.
The smoking method is definitely my twist on tradition because normally char sit would be roasted or grilled over an open flame.
Ingredients
- Chicken Leg Quarters 4 Leg Quarters
- Hoisin Sauce
- Oyster Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Shaoxing Wine
- Soy Sauce
- Honey
- Chinese Five Spice
- Granulated Garlic
- White Pepper
- Red Food Coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Remove chicken quarters from package and pat dry with paper towel, Trim off any large pieces of fat or extra skin then set aside.
- In a large bowl combine all remaining ingredients whisking together then add your chicken quarters to the sauce and massage to coat chicken quarters on all sides with Char Siu sauce.
- Cover the bowl and marinate overnight for at least 12 hours, 24 even better.
- Preheat Smoker to 325 Degrees F. remove chicken leg quarters from the marinade and let the excess sauce drip off. Place the chicken on the smoker and begin cooking.
- After 30 minutes brush the chicken quarters with remaining char siu sauce then continue cooking.
- Once the chicken has reached 160 Degrees F sauce the chicken quarters a second time then continue to cook until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 190-200 degrees F.
Pro Tips and Variations
Skin: You can remove the skin before marinating the chicken to let the char siu sauce penetrate deeper into the meat. If you leave the skin on the skin won’t be crispy but it does become bite through and helps keep the chicken extra moist.
Roasting Method: You can make char siu chicken in the oven by roasting at 325 for about 1 hour to reach an internal temperature of 190-200 degrees F.
Storage: You can store the chicken leg quarters in the fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed container.
Reheating: Wrap the chicken in foil with a tablespoon of water or stock and heat in the oven at 325 degrees F. for about 20 minutes or until hot.
Marinade: Most recipes only really need a few hours to marinate. This is not one of those recipes. You really need to marinate these leg quarters for a minimum of 12 hours but 24-48 is ideal. your patience will be rewarded.
Chicken: You don’t have to use leg quarters, you can use any cut of chicken you prefer from wings to legs to thighs. If you use chicken breast only cook to an internal temp of 160 degrees F.
Pork: traditionally char siu is made with pork tenderloin or pork belly cuts. You can use this same marinate to roast pork if you want to try another protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
Char siu is a Cantonese sauce used for roasted meats containing sweet and salty ingredients like hoisin sauce, honey, soy and oyster sauce.
Food coloring is used to give char siu its vibrant red color. Its an optional ingredient and will not affect the flavor.
Char siu há a sweet and salty flavor. Its incredibly moist and full of unique spices from the Chinese 5 spice
What to Serve with Char Siu Chicken
Char Siu chicken is great beaches it has so much flavor on its own. you can serve it over something as simple as white rice.
you can also serve it with your favorite veggies or condiments like Korean Pickles and kimchi.
Char Siu is also a commonly used ingredient in one of my absolute favorite Chinese takeout recipes Singapore Street Noodles
More Recipes You Will Love
Char Siu Chicken Leg Quarters
Equipment
- Pellet Grill
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs Chicken Leg Quarters 4 Leg Quarters
- 3 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Honey
- ½ tsp Chinese Five Spice
- 1 tsp Granulated Garlic
- ½ tsp White Pepper
Instructions
- Remove chicken quarters from package and pat dry with paper towel, Trim off any large pieces of fat or extra skin then set aside.
- In a large bowl combine all remaining ingredients whisking together then add your chicken quarters to the sauce and massage to coat chicken quarters on all sides with Char Siu sauce.
- Cover the bowl and marinate overnight for at least 12 hours, 24 even better.
- Preheat Smoker to 325 Degrees F. remove chicken leg quarters from the marinade and let the excess sauce drip off. Place the chicken on the smoker and begin cooking.
- After 30 minutes brush the chicken quarters with remaining char siu sauce then continue cooking.
- Once the chicken has reached 160 Degrees F sauce the chicken quarters a second time then continue to cook until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 190-200 degrees F.
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