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This simple air fryer char siu rooster is juicy, shiny, and filled with that candy and savory Cantonese BBQ taste. Made with my do-it-yourself char siu sauce, it’s tender, caramelized, and really easy to make.

Air Fryer Chinese language BBQ Hen
This air fryer Chinese language BBQ rooster really happened proper after I made my Char Siu Sauce. I had some leftover sauce and some rooster thighs within the fridge, which turned out to be the right combo for a fast and straightforward dinner. So I marinated the rooster, let it sit for a bit, and popped it within the air fryer. The rooster turned completely caramelized and tender, identical to Chinese language BBQ Pork however lighter, simpler, and made proper in your air fryer.
In case you’ve already made my char siu sauce, this recipe is principally an awesome rooster hack for straightforward dinners. It’s fast, flavorful, and proof that you just don’t want a grill or oven to get that signature BBQ style at house. And if you happen to don’t have an air fryer, don’t fear, I even have an oven-baked model you possibly can strive my Char Siu Hen. Pair it with steamed rice, noodles, and even tuck it into bao buns for a meal that’s comforting, satisfying, and filled with taste.
Add This To Your Simple Meal Concepts


- Juicy, flavorful rooster. Boneless thighs keep tender inside whereas the surface caramelizes into that shiny, candy, and savory end you like from good Chinese language BBQ.
- Just some elements. All you want is rooster and my do-it-yourself char siu sauce, with a fast 30-minute marinade to take in all that taste.
- Air fryer comfort. No grill, no oven, no mess. The air fryer offers you completely charred edges and that BBQ-style glaze in below quarter-hour.
Elements You’ll Want


Yow will discover all of the ingredient particulars within the recipe card on the backside of this publish.
Professional Tip #1: Why I Use Boneless Hen Thighs
I like utilizing boneless rooster thighs as a result of they keep juicy and flavorful even after air frying. The slight fats within the meat helps the sauce caramelize fantastically, supplying you with that excellent steadiness of tender inside and flippantly charred edges outdoors. Bone-in rooster works too, however the marinade takes longer to soak in. And whereas rooster breast is an possibility, it doesn’t have pores and skin or sufficient fats to present you that very same juicy, shiny end.
Professional Tip #2: Use My Do-it-yourself Char Siu Sauce
This recipe actually shines if you use my Do-it-yourself Char Siu Sauce. It’s candy, savory, and filled with umami taste from soy sauce, oyster sauce, and five-spice. Plus, making it your self permits you to management how wealthy or sticky you need it to be.
Further Tip: How To Debone Hen Thighs Simply
In case you solely have bone-in rooster, don’t fear. Deboning them at house is straightforward and completely value it for this recipe. Take a look at my step-by-step information on The best way to Debone Hen Thighs. It solely takes a couple of minutes and helps the rooster cook dinner evenly and absorb all that scrumptious marinade.
How To Make Air Fryer Char Siu Hen


Place the rooster in a bowl, pour in about ⅓ cup of Char Siu Sauce, and blend it nicely so every bit is evenly coated. Let it marinate for no less than half-hour so the flavors can soak in.
Professional Tip: In case you’ve acquired the time, let the rooster marinate just a little longer. The additional time helps the flavors soak in deeper, making the meat much more flavorful and tender.


Place the rooster within the air fryer basket pores and skin aspect down, ensuring they’re in a single layer in order that they cook dinner evenly. Spoon a few of the leftover marinade on prime, then air fry at 190°C (375°F) for about 10 minutes.


After 10 minutes, flip the rooster over and brush on the remainder of the marinade. Air fry once more at 190°C (375°F) for one more 4 minutes, or till the rooster is cooked by means of and has these barely charred, caramelized edges.
Professional Tip: If you wish to flip the sauce right into a shiny glaze, heat the char siu sauce in a small saucepan over low warmth till it thickens barely. You should use it later to drizzle over the rooster for that further shiny, caramelized end.


As soon as it’s performed, sprinkle some sesame seeds on prime and serve it with a bowl of steamed white rice. Easy, comforting, and so good each time.
Often Requested Questions
You possibly can, however I extremely advocate making my do-it-yourself char siu sauce as a substitute. It’s brisker, has no components, and provides you that real-deal candy and savory BBQ taste that bottled sauces simply can’t match.
For the reason that has honey, it may brown shortly. The secret’s to not overload the sauce at the beginning. Brush or spoon half of it earlier than air frying, then add the remaining after flipping. In case you discover it getting too darkish, decrease the temperature barely or line the basket with foil to stop burning.
Sure. Simply marinate the rooster and freeze it uncooked in a freezer bag. If you’re able to cook dinner, thaw it in a single day within the fridge and air fry as normal. It’s nice for straightforward, make-ahead dinners.
Let the rooster cool utterly, then retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Reheat within the air fryer for a couple of minutes till warmed by means of to convey again that fresh-off-the-grill style.
This recipe is 382 energy per serving.


What To Serve With This Hen Char Siu
For a straightforward and healthful Chinese language weeknight dinner, I like to recommend the next recipes:
I hope you take pleasure in this publish as a lot as I do. In case you strive my recipe, please go away a remark and take into account giving it a 5-star ranking. For less difficult and scrumptious recipes, discover my Recipe Index, and keep up to date by subscribing to my publication and following me on Fb, Pinterest, and Instagram for brand spanking new updates.
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Forestall your display screen from going darkish
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Marinate the rooster in ⅓ cup of Char Siu Sauce for no less than half-hour.
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Place the rooster pores and skin aspect down within the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spoon over half of the leftover marinade and air fry at 190°C (375°F) for 10 minutes.
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Flip the rooster, spoon over the remaining marinade, and air fry at 190°C (375°F) for 4 minutes or till cooked by means of and barely charred.
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Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with steamed white rice.
Serving: 2folks, Energy: 382kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 25g, Fats: 26g, Saturated Fats: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 6g, Monounsaturated Fats: 11g, Trans Fats: 0.1g, Ldl cholesterol: 147mg, Sodium: 645mg, Potassium: 337mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 118IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 1mg
Vitamin info is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.