Weeknight Sticky Chicken Bao
Say hello to the weeknight meal of your dreams - pulled chicken coated in a sticky Char Siu sauce, encased in a pillowy bao bun with fresh cucumber, carrot, coriander and lime, all in 30 minutes!
Weeknight Sticky Chicken Bao
Weeknight Sticky Chicken Bao
Weeknight Sticky Chicken Bao
This weeknight chicken bao recipe calls for all the quick meal hacks. Frozen bao and if you’re strapped for time, a rotisserie chicken or this 25 minute poached shredded chicken recipe are your weeknight dinner friends. Cooks note, If you use this method, undercook by a couple of minutes as it will continue to cook in the sauce.
You can of course make the bao from scratch with this bao bun recipe, which is delicious and awesome, make that on the weekend, show them off at a dinner party sure, but frozen bao is a weeknight winner for nights when you get home from work at 6pm and need to pull dinner together in a pinch.
More easy and delicious weeknight dinners:
- This Salmon bites bowl is perfect for summer or when you want something light.
- When you have a craving for a creamy chicken dish, this Marry Me Pesto Chicken hits the spot.
- My Easy Beef Noodle Stir Fry is a proper staple in our household.
- Wanting something fresh and light? MyCoconut lemongrass chicken is a winner.
- For an easy, oven-do-the-work recipe, this Oven baked tandoori chicken is perfect.
- My Chicken katsu is a totally delish weeknight winner.
- These BBQ Hot Honey Wings are gone in seconds in my family.
- For a delish weeknight pasta, this Broccoli pancetta pasta is a fave.
I have made this dish with pulled pork, it was incredible. You could substitute this dish with cooked pork loin.
Ingredients and substitutions
How to make it - step by step!
Place ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp honey, 1.5 tbsp tamari, 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1.5 tbsp sesame oil, 1.5 tsp Chinese five spice in a bowl and mix to combine.
Gently fry the garlic and ginger in a little olive oil in a frypan over medium heat until they become fragrant and the garlic has a little colour.
Turn up the heat, add the sauce and the chicken and heat through. When a layer of caramelisation forms on the bottom of the pan, deglaze using a splash or two of water, scrape off the caramelised bits and add in a bit more olive oil, repeat until sticky and slightly charred.
Meanwhile, heat a little water in a pot steamer, add some baking paper then add as many frozen bao as you can fit. Cover with the lid and steam for 6-8 minutes (or to packet instructions)
Combine cucumber and carrot into a plate and squeeze over lime juice, pick a little plate of coriander leaves and add some toasted sesame seeds to a small bowl.
Serve warmed bao with sticky chicken, cucumber and carrot, garnish with coriander, lime and sesame seeds.
Place ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp honey, 1.5 tbsp tamari, 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1.5 tbsp sesame oil, 1.5 tsp Chinese five spice in a bowl and mix to combine.
Gently fry the garlic and ginger in a little olive oil in a frypan over medium heat until they become fragrant and the garlic has a little colour.
Turn up the heat, add the sauce and the chicken and heat through. When a layer of caramelisation forms on the bottom of the pan, deglaze using a splash or two of water, scrape off the caramelised bits and add in a bit more olive oil, repeat until sticky and slightly charred.
Meanwhile, heat a little water in a pot steamer, add some baking paper then add as many frozen bao as you can fit. Cover with the lid and steam for 6-8 minutes (or to packet instructions)
Combine cucumber and carrot into a plate and squeeze over lime juice, pick a little plate of coriander leaves and add some toasted sesame seeds to a small bowl.
Serve warmed bao with sticky chicken, cucumber and carrot, garnish with coriander, lime and sesame seeds.
Watch the how to video
Watch the how to video
Weeknight Sticky Chicken Bao
Sauce ingredients
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1.5 tbsp tamari
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp sesame oil
- 1.5 tsp Chinese five spice
Filling
- 500g cooked shredded chicken
- 4 cloves of garlic - minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3cm knob of ginger - finely grated
- 6 baby cucumbers, cut in half then cut into strips
- 2 carrots, cut into julienne
- 1 lime
- 16 frozen bao buns
- Coriander leaves
- toasted sesame seeds
- Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl
- Gently fry the garlic and ginger in a little olive oil in a frypan over medium heat until they begin to soften slightly
- Turn up the heat, add the sauce and the chicken and heat through. When a layer of caramelisation forms on the bottom of the pan, deglaze using a splash or two of water, scrape off the caramelised bits and add in a bit more olive oil, repeat until sticky and slightly charred
- Heat a little water in a pot steamer, add the frozen bao. Cook in batches if necessary
- Combine cucumber and carrot into a plate and squeeze over lime juice
- Serve DIY style with warmed bao with chicken and cucumber, carrot, coriander leaves and toasted sesame seeds and another squeeze of lime juice.
