Char siu is often referred to as Chinese BBQ; these chicken legs are marinated in my favourite char siu coating over night then quickly cooked in an air fryer or searingly hot oven until they are perfectly glazed and juicy.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Anglo Chinese
Keyword air fryer char siu chicken, air fryer chicken legs, char siu chicken, char siu chicken legs
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
Video
Notes
I prefer to cook brown chicken legs to an internal temperature closer to 80°C or 175°F.