Serves 6
40 min
Char Siu Chicken
Recipe GLPR9674b3f7fa135d
This savory-sweet glazed chicken dish combines umami-rich seasonings with a fruit-forward sauce inspired by Asian flavors. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are roasted until golden and tender, then brushed with a complex glaze made from jam, fish sauce, five spice, and aromatic ginger. Perfect for a paleo-friendly, Whole30-compliant main course that's bursting with flavor.
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Ingredients
2½ pounds Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1½ teaspoons Umami stir-fry powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 tablespoon Avocado oil
¼ cup Plum jam (sweetened only with fruit juice, such as St. Dalfour brand)
2 tablespoons Coconut aminos
1½ tablespoons Tomato paste
1½ teaspoons Almond butter or tahini
1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce
¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
¼ teaspoon Ground ginger
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F for convection roasting or 425°F for conventional roasting, positioning the rack in the middle of the oven.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle the umami stir-fry powder or kosher salt evenly over the chicken, then drizzle with avocado oil and toss thoroughly to coat all pieces evenly with the seasoning.
Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs in a single layer skin-side down on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. (You may line the baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier cleanup if desired.)
Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and roast the chicken for 15 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the plum jam, coconut aminos, tomato paste, almond butter, fish sauce, five spice powder, and ground ginger until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
After 15 minutes of roasting, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Flip each chicken thigh so it is skin-side up, then brush two-thirds of the prepared glaze generously over the top surface of each piece.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for 5 to 7 minutes more. Then rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees and brush the remaining glaze over the chicken.
Continue roasting until the sauce develops browned spots and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165°F. For extra browning, you can broil the top for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Air Fryer Option: Depending on your air fryer basket size, you may need to cook the chicken in batches. Arrange the thighs skin-side up in a single layer in the basket and air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, brush the glaze over the chicken and continue air frying for 2 to 5 additional minutes until the sauce shows browned spots and an instant-read meat thermometer reaches 165°F in the thickest part of a thigh.
