Asian Inspired BBQ Chicken

This Asian Inspired Char Siu Chicken is a simple recipe that provides amazing flavor.   This Chinese BBQ chicken is baked, eliminating the need to fuss with the grill-and bonus; easy cleanup!

Clean the chicken thighs, removing excess fat.

Pat down the chicken thighs with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

In a separate bowl, combine the minced/mashed garlic, Chinese five spice powder, honey, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, ketchup and sesame oil.

Set aside half the marinade to be used for glazing the chicken during cooking.

Marinate the chicken using the remaining half of the marinade in either a large bowl or a glass dish (pyrex) - make sure all the chicken is coated well.

Place the chicken that is marinating in the refrigerator until about an hour before cooking (return the chicken to room temperature before cooking). Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 24 hours in a refrigerator.

Bake (roast) the chicken at a temperature of 400 degrees F for 25 minutes.

When you first place the chicken into the oven to cook, reduce the half of the marinade that will be used for glazing in order to thicken it. Use a low heat on the stovetop and let it cook down until it gets a nice thickness to it (should take about 15-20 minutes).

Remove the chicken from the oven after the 25 minutes and test for doneness by piercing the flesh with a tip of a knife. The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear.

Once the juices run clear, turn the oven up to 500 degrees. Baste with the reduced marinade and bake at 500 degrees for an additional 7 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.