Char Siu Chicken (Paleo, Whole30, Gluten Free)

Char Siu Chicken (Paleo, Whole30, Gluten Free)

from nomnompaleo.com
40 min

This Whole30, paleo, and gluten free Char Siu Chicken is a quick and tasty pork-free spin on my popular paleo Char Siu recipe. Slathered with a sticky sweet sauce, these roasted boneless chicken thighs are a healthy take on Chinese BBQ chicken!

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 or peach or apricot jam, sweetened only with fruit juice (I like 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

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 400°F convection roast or 425°F conventional roast with the rack in the middle.

  2. 2

    While the oven is heating, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle on Umami Stir-Fry Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Pour in the avocado oil and toss well to season everything evenly.

  3. 3

    Arrange the chicken in a single layer, smooth side down, on a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. (Yes, you can line the baking pan with aluminum foil if you want easy clean up.)

  4. 4

    Pop the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

  5. 5

    While the chicken is baking, make the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the jam, coconut aminos, tomato paste, almond butter, fish sauce, five spice powder, and ground ginger. Whisk until smooth.

  6. 6

    When the chicken has baked for 15 minutes, flip the chicken smooth-side up and brush ⅔ of the sauce on top of the chicken.

  7. 7

    Bake for 5 to 7 more minutes and rotate the tray 180° before basting the chicken with the remaining sauce.

  8. 8

    If you want it more browned, you can broil the top for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The Char Siu Chicken is ready when the sauce is browned in parts and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170°F.

  9. 9

    Remove from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and slice up!

  10. 10

    Cooking in an air fryer? Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you will probably have to cook the thighs in a few batches. Lay the chicken smooth-side up in a single layer in the basket and air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes is finished, brush the sauce on top and air fry for 2 to 5 more minutes or until the sauce is browned in parts and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170°F.