Hoisin Baked Chicken
Hoisin is a sweet and salty Chinese cooking sauce and marinade. It’s so versatile that it’s sometimes referred to as the ketchup of Asia. This is a good meal to make during the day, or even a day or two in advance of when you plan to serve it.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce (sold with Asian foods)
- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce (or use any variety) (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed)
- 3 - 4 lbs. chicken drumsticks and/or bone-in thighs
Instructions
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the hoisin sauce, vinegar, and soy sauce. In a resealable bag or container with a lid, marinate the chicken in the hoisin mixture for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, flipping occasionally. (If you use a plastic bag, put a plate under the bag in case of a leak.)
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade and put it in the baking pan skin-side down, reserving the marinade.
- Bake the chicken for 20 minutes, then flip it and pour or brush some of the reserved marinade over the chicken pieces (discard all unused marinade that touched raw chicken). (Preheat the broiler at this point, if your broiler is separate from your oven.)
- Continue baking the chicken for 20 more minutes, and then put the chicken under the preheated broiler for about 5 minutes, watching carefully, and flipping once to brown the skin evenly (Note: occasionally the marinade will turn black during cooking - this is the sugars caramelizing and not burning, so it will still taste delicious!). Serve it immediately, refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker Directions:
- There's no need to marinate the chicken in advance. Combine the hoisin sauce, vinegar, and soy sauce in the slow cooker. Add the chicken pieces, turning over several times so that they are well coated with the sauce. Cook on low for 6 - 7 hours or on high for 3 - 4 hours. If a crispy skin is desired, place the chicken under a preheated broiler for 3 – 5 minutes after removing it from the slow cooker. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Make the marinade and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator, or fully prepare and refrigerate or freeze the dish.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Add 1/2 tsp. Asian five-spice powder and/or 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce to the marinade. You can also sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on the chicken before serving.
Tip: If you prefer to use boneless chicken breasts instead of drumsticks and thighs, reduce the cooking time by about half (check for doneness) so the meat doesn’t get dried out.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 190, Total Fat: 5g, 8%; Saturated Fat: 1g, 5%; Cholesterol: 100mg, 33%; Sodium: 560mg, 23%; Total Carbohydrate: 6g, 2%; Dietary Fiber: 0g, 0%; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 27g
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