Char siu chicken legs are a take on an easy Chinese "BBQ" dish featuring marinated chicken legs with air fryer & oven cooking instructions.
Marinating this dish takes a while, but the chicken legs take around 20-25 minutes to cook in an air fryer and 30-35 minutes in the oven.
Chinese "BBQ" Chicken Legs
Char siu is often referred to as Chinese BBQ and it is commonly associated with pork.
I have two versions already on my site using very different cuts of meat, a slow cooker char siu style ribs and a quick-cooked char siu pork tenderloin.
But the marinade works well with other meats too, and my latest offering is Chinese-style char siu chicken legs.
They are delicious and stupidly simple to make; all you do is mix some common ingredients to make a marinade. If you cook Chinese fakeaways often, then you will likely have them all at home!
Then, let the chicken drink all of those flavours for up to 24 hours, and then you just need to cook the chicken.
I like to cook this in an air fryer to get some good caramelisation on the sauce, but I have given instructions to oven-bake this too.
Cooking takes around half an hour, and all you need to do is baste the meat as you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove the skin from the chicken legs?
Yes, of course, it will save you a significant chunk of calories if that is your motivation.
However, I very much prefer this with the skin on.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, you must adjust the cooking times to ensure that it does not dry out. Remove 3-4 minutes if you are cooking in an air fryer and 5-6 minutes in the oven.
Be sure to check that the chicken has reached 73°C or 165°F with a meat thermometer before serving.
Can I use Chicken Thighs?
Yes, the timing and the recipe remain the same.
Is this better cooked in an air fryer or in the oven?
I think that the air fryer does a much better job with these char siu chicken legs because the sugars in the honey and hoisin sauce caramelise much better.
But the oven ain't no slouch and is perfect if you are cooking them for more than two people.
Most char siu is much redder than yours. Why?
The colour red is culturally important in foods from many cultures and in many places; some food colouring is used to obtain that colour.
I do not add any colouring, hence the slightly more muted tone.
Can I cook this on a BBQ?
Yes, definitely, it would be wonderful. I have not tested this on the BBQ, so I have not added instructions.
But I would cook this covered on a BBQ over indirect heat until the internal temperature reached around 65-67°C (150°F), then transfer it to the direct heat to get some char action going and finish the cooking.
Serving Suggestions
I've served my char siu chicken legs with my sweet and sour stir-fried noodles in these pictures; a plain chow mein would work in the same way, but you can head off in all sorts of directions.
You could go British Chinese takeaway style and add a side of salt and pepper chips, c'mon, who doesn't love chicken and chips?
Rice is always a popular option with Chinese-inspired dishes, and egg fried rice is always a popular option. But it may be a little "dry" paired with this chicken.
I quite like stir-fried veggies, and both my broccoli stir fry and asparagus stir fry would be awesome with this.
One final suggestion, something acidic is awesome to contrast the sweeter notes in this recipe, and this pickled daikon is perfect.
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Air fryer or oven.
- Tupperware box or a large sandwich bag.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
- Basting brush.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Quick read meat thermometer.
Easy Char Siu Chicken Legs Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Legs (Bone-in Skin-on) Around 250g Each
- 4 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice Wine
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
- 40 g Honey 2 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Granules
- 1 Pinch MSG Optional
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco Sauce Optional
Instructions
- Add the hoisin sauce, rice wine, light soy, dark soy, honey, five spice, garlic granules, MSG and Tabasco sauce to a bag or Tupperware box and give everything a mix.
- Add the chicken to the marinade and coat everything well, massaging the sauce into the meat and skin. Tie the bag or add the lid to the box and set aside for as long as you can, I would say 8 hours minimum and up to 24 hours.
To Cook in an Air Fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C or 390°F for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the chicken legs, give them a good basting with the marinade, and cook for 10 minutes, basting again after 5 minutes. Open the air fryer, baste again, then reduce the heat to 160°C or 320°F and cook for another 15 minutes, again basting every 5 minutes.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken has reached at least 73°C or 165°F; give it another few minutes if needed. *See note below
To Cook in an Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 220°C or 430°F. Place the chicken legs on a cooling rack over a baking sheet, give them a good basting with the marinade, and cook for 15 minutes, basting again after 10 minutes. The aim is to build up a nice coating over time.
- Remove the chicken, baste again, then reduce the heat to 180°C or 350°F and cook for another 10-15 minutes, again basting after 5-7 minutes.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken has reached at least 73°C or 165°F; give it another few minutes if needed. *See note below