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Looking for a roast chicken recipe that’s packed with flavor and super easy to make? My Chinese Roast Chicken combines juicy meat with a crispy, golden skin, all thanks to a tasty marinade and a simple honey and sesame coating!
Crispy Skin Chinese Roast Chicken
Chicken is a must-have during Chinese New Year, especially a whole chicken, which holds special meaning in traditional Chinese homes.
Serving a whole chicken symbolizes family unity and good luck, with everything intact representing completeness and a well-rounded life. It’s also a way to honor ancestors and invite blessings for the year ahead, making this tradition all about togetherness and prosperity.
While boiled or steamed chicken is often served, I’m all about roast chicken, especially Cantonese BBQ style with crispy skin!
My Chinese roast chicken recipe is the kind you’d find in Chinatown. To get that perfect taste and texture, I use some special techniques and secret ingredients. I marinate the chicken overnight, air dry it for a few hours, and whip up a special mix to make the skin super crispy.
This Chinese style roast chicken is packed with that signature “烧腊” (Cantonese BBQ) aroma and flavor. Additionally, this recipe is great all year round as it takes just four easy steps, and you’ll be able to enjoy crispy Asian roast chicken at home. The best part? The juicy goodness that seeps out during roasting—perfect for drizzling over steamed rice. You’ve got to try my secret recipe!
Looking for more Asian roast recipes? Check out my Chinese Roast Pork and Char Siu recipes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic flavor: It’s got that classic Cantonese BBQ taste that reminds you of Chinatown.
- Crispy skin: The special coating makes sure the skin is perfectly crispy every time.
- No special equipment needed: You don’t need fancy gadgets—just a regular oven and basic kitchen tools.
- Foolproof: With just 4 easy steps and simple ingredients, my Chinese roasted chicken recipe guarantees delicious results every time, perfect even for beginners.
- Cheaper than eating out: Making this Asian style roast chicken at home costs way less than ordering from a restaurant.
Chinese Roasted Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken – I used fresh organic chicken for this Chinese roast chicken recipe because it offers better flavor and stays tender and juicy.
- Soy sauce – Gives that salty, umami goodness and helps season the chicken.
- Chinese rose wine or Shaoxing wine – Chinese rose wine gives the chicken a rich, aromatic flavor with a hint of floral sweetness. This is the secret ingredient that imparts that distinct Chinatown aroma and flavor. If you cannot find rose wine, you may use Shaoxing wine instead.
- Chinese five-spice powder – Adds a blend of warm spices for that classic Chinese roast chicken flavor.
- Sesame oil – Adds a nutty richness.
- Honey – Sweetens and caramelizes the skin, making it golden and tasty.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Chinese Roast Chicken
Step 1. Clean the chicken with water and pat it dry inside and out. Truss the chicken (I only trussed the legs, not the entire body).
Step 2. Mix the marinade ingredients well in a small bowl. Rub it generously on the chicken’s skin and inside the cavity. Insert the garlic and ginger into the cavity, then transfer the chicken to a Ziploc bag and marinate overnight.
Step 3. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the garlic and ginger. Let the chicken air dry for 30 minutes at room temperature, or until the skin is no longer wet. Use a fan if needed. Mix the skin coating ingredients and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the chicken in a roasting pan and roast on the lower rack for about 45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes; if the skin is browning too fast, cover with aluminum foil.
Step 4. Remove the chicken from the oven and turn it onto its underside. Roast for 15 minutes. Take it out of the oven and brush the entire chicken with the skin coating mixture. Continue roasting the chicken for 5-10 minutes on each side, or until both sides are golden brown. Remove from the oven, let it cool, chop up, and serve immediately. Save the juice from the chicken to drizzle over steamed rice.
Tips for Roasting Chicken in Oven
- For the best flavor, let the chicken marinate overnight. The longer it sits, the tastier it gets!
- Make sure the chicken skin is dry before roasting to get it really crispy.
- The perfect temperature for roasting chicken is 375°F (190°C). For the best results, ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the meat.
- Use the “Convection” or “Roast” mode on your oven, as these two settings ensures even cooking and a crispy exterior. If your oven doesn’t have “Convection” mode, simply use the standard “Bake” mode.
- Keep an eye on the chicken while it’s roasting. If the skin starts to get too brown, cover it with foil to prevent burning.
- Roast the chicken on the lower rack of the oven to get even cooking and avoid burning the skin.
- Turn the chicken during roasting for even browning. Start with the breast side up, then flip it over to roast the other side.
- Roasting a 2.5 – 3 lbs. whole chicken typically takes about 1.5 hours or 90 minutes. Check the internal temperature to ensure it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the meat.
- Don’t throw away the juice from the roasting pan!
- After roasting, let the chicken sit for a few minutes before carving. This helps keep the meat juicy and tender.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh chicken is preferred, but if using frozen chicken, make sure to thaw it completely and pat it dry before marinating
If you’re using a bigger or smaller chicken, just adjust the marinating and cooking times. Marinate and roast longer for a bigger chicken, and cut back the time for a smaller one.
If the skin isn’t crisping up, you might need to increase the oven temperature slightly or place the chicken under the broiler for a few minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
You can stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh— it should read 165°F (74°C). Also, the juices should run clear when you cut into it.
This Asian roast chicken recipe is only 494 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Asian Roast Chicken
Serve this crispy Chinese roast chicken with steamed rice. For a festive Chinese feast, I recommend the following recipes:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Chinese Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 [about 2 1/2 – 3 lbs (1.1kg – 1.4kg)] chicken
- 4 cloves garlic, lightly pounded
- 1- inch (2.5cm) ginger, peeled and sliced
Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese rose wine , or Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 dashes white pepper
Skin Coating:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Clean the chicken with water and pat it dry inside and out. Truss the chicken (I only trussed the legs, not the entire body).
- Mix the marinade ingredients well in a small bowl. Rub it generously on the chicken’s skin and inside the cavity. Insert the garlic and ginger into the cavity, then transfer the chicken to a Ziploc bag and marinate overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the garlic and ginger. Let the chicken air dry for 30 minutes at room temperature, or until the skin is no longer wet. Use a fan if needed. Mix the skin coating ingredients and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the chicken in a roasting pan and roast on the lower rack for about 45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes; if the skin is browning too fast, cover with aluminum foil.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and turn it onto its underside. Roast for 20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and brush the entire chicken with the skin coating mixture. Continue roasting the chicken for 20-25 minutes on each side, or until both sides are golden brown. Remove from the oven, let it cool, chop up, and serve immediately. Save the juice from the chicken to drizzle over steamed rice.
Notes
- For the best flavor, let the chicken marinate overnight. The longer it sits, the tastier it gets!
- Make sure the chicken skin is dry before roasting to get it really crispy.
- The perfect temperature for roasting chicken is 375°F (190°C). For the best results, ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the meat.
- Use the “Convection” or “Roast” mode on your oven, as these two settings ensures even cooking and a crispy exterior. If your oven doesn’t have “Convection” mode, simply use the standard “Bake” mode.
- Keep an eye on the chicken while it’s roasting. If the skin starts to get too brown, cover it with foil to prevent burning.
- Roast the chicken on the lower rack of the oven to get even cooking and avoid burning the skin.
- Turn the chicken during roasting for even browning. Start with the breast side up, then flip it over to roast the other side.
- Roasting a 2.5 – 3 lbs. whole chicken typically takes about 1.5 hours or 90 minutes. Check the internal temperature to ensure it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the meat.
- Don’t throw away the juice from the roasting pan!
- After roasting, let the chicken sit for a few minutes before carving. This helps keep the meat juicy and tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If I only like white meat, how could I modify this to just use breasts?
You can just roast chicken breast.
Hey Bee
Wondering why would you discard the garlic and ginger prior to poping it into the oven?
I would assume leaving them in there to cook will give it more flavour?
Thanks
Danny
They will be burnt after roasting.
Hi Bee,
What do you think would be a suitable non-alcoholic sub fro the wine? Thanks!
Skip it.
This recipe was so delicious! I couldn’t believe how juicy the chicken was. This recipe easily ranks among the best roast chickens I’ve ever made. I followed the ingredients exactly. I marinaded it overnight and the second night left it uncovered in the fridge to dry out. I didn’t truss the chicken but used the rack, sheet pan, and baking steel combo described on the Serious Eats website. I actually thought I overcooked the bird based on temp but the chicken was seriously juicy. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Hi Judy, thanks so much for trying my Chinese roast chicken. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Hi, Could I do this recipe in a Air Fryer ??
Cheers
Yes you can.
I dont understand how the chicken burnt so fast I did follow the recipe very well.
Oh This looks so good. This is one of my favorite chinese takeout food. You’ve done a brilliant job. Pinning!
This seems reminiscent of the BBQ ducks and chickens hanging in shops in NYC Chinatown. I haven’t been home for years so I am anxious to try this recipe. I see people here have mentioned scalding the skin and you have responded but I don’t see this step in the recipe. Am I missing something? And, why would we scald after marinating…is it to rinse skin for uniform coloring while roasting? I once made a roast pork when I was a 12 and I hung it from string in my regular oven to roast. Could I do that with this recipe?
Hi Julie, please follow the recipe as is and don’t try to do something different. I can’t guarantee the same results if it’s not the way my recipe is. I think you can hang it in your oven if you can manage to hold the whole chicken in the oven.
Hi! Is it top and bottom heating or is it just top cooking? Thanks!
All around heating.
Hi! Can I roast the chicken in the oven on a turnspit? So is it still at 200C? Thanks
I think so. Let me know how it goes.
Air dry 30 min as per your recipe or 3 hours as per the comments ?