This is a baked sticky chicken built around a homemade hoisin sauce — seven ingredients, blended in under a minute, and genuinely better than most jars you’ll find at the supermarket. The whole meal includes rice tossed with egg strips, coriander, spring onions, and chilli, plus steamed bok choy on the side. It takes about 50 minutes start to finish and serves four.
What makes this version work
Two things matter here. First, slicing the chicken into 1cm strips before marinating gives the sauce far more surface area to cling to — whole breasts would stay pale and bland in the same oven time. Second, brushing the chicken with the leftover marinade every 10 minutes while it bakes is what builds the sticky, slightly charred glaze. Skip those basting steps and you get cooked chicken with sauce on top; do them and the glaze actually caramelises onto the meat. Neither step is difficult, but both are worth doing deliberately.
Shopping notes
- Tamari: This is the gluten-free swap for regular soy sauce. Most large supermarkets stock it near the soy sauce. Check the label — a small number of brands add wheat. It’s used in both the hoisin sauce and the marinade, so one bottle covers both.
- Black bean paste: Sold in Asian grocery stores and online. The label must say gluten-free, or substitute an equal amount of gluten-free miso paste — the flavour shifts slightly but works well.
- Rice wine vinegar: Mild and slightly sweet. Plain white wine vinegar can substitute in a pinch, but use a little less since it’s sharper.
- Bok choy: If your store doesn’t carry it, tenderstem broccoli or sugar snap peas are solid swaps and need roughly the same cooking time.
If something goes sideways
- The glaze burns before the chicken is cooked through: Your strips are probably thicker than 1cm, or your oven runs hot. Tent the tray loosely with foil for the remaining cook time and check the internal temperature — you need 74°C / 165°F at the thickest point.
- The chicken looks dry on the edges after baking: This usually means the strips were spread too close together and steamed rather than roasted. Next time leave a clear gap between each piece. For now, spoon any pan juices back over the chicken before serving.
- The hoisin sauce tastes too salty straight from the blender: The saltiness mellows once it’s baked onto the chicken. Taste it in context before adjusting — adding honey in small amounts (half a teaspoon at a time) is the easiest fix if it still seems sharp.
- The egg omelette tears when you try to slice it: It was either undercooked or the pan wasn’t hot enough. Let it cool for a full minute before cutting — skip the garnish of perfectly neat strips and just roughly chop it. It tastes the same and saves the frustration.
- The rice is done long before the chicken: Pull it off the heat a minute early, put the lid on, and leave it. It will hold fine for 15–20 minutes without going gluey.
Leftovers and make-ahead
Store the cooked chicken and rice in separate airtight containers in the fridge — they keep for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in a 180°C / 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes rather than the microwave, which tends to make the glaze rubbery. The rice reheats fine in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen it. The hoisin sauce keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, so it’s worth making a double batch while you have everything out — it works well as a dipping sauce or a quick stir-fry base on another night. Cooked glazed chicken (without rice) also freezes well for up to 2 months; thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Gluten-Free Sticky Chicken with Homemade Hoisin
Equipment
- Large baking tray
- Aluminium foil
- Medium saucepan
- Small non-stick frying pan
- Blender or food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Sharp chef’s knife
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 stalks spring onions sliced
- ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves chopped
- 1 medium red chilli finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 bunch bok choy approximately 300g/10oz, trimmed and halved
- 1 cup long-grain white rice or basmati
- 2 medium eggs beaten
- 4 medium skinless chicken breasts approximately 150–175g / 5–6oz each
- 5 tablespoons homemade hoisin sauce see recipe below
- 1 tablespoon tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 pinch salt to taste
Hoisin Sauce Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon black bean paste check label is gluten-free, or substitute gluten-free miso paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed chillies
Instructions
Chicken Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast into 1cm (½-inch) thick strips. In a large mixing bowl, combine the homemade hoisin sauce, tamari, sunflower oil, crushed garlic, and grated ginger. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat. Cover and marinate for at least 20 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge for best results).
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / 400°F / Gas 6. Arrange the marinated chicken strips in a single layer on a large foil-lined baking tray. Bake for 25–30 minutes, removing every 10 minutes to brush with any remaining marinade, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 74°C / 165°F) and the glaze is sticky and caramelised.
- While the chicken bakes, cook the rice according to packet instructions (approximately 12–15 minutes for white rice). In a separate pan, steam the bok choy for 3–4 minutes until just tender, or stir-fry in a splash of oil for 2 minutes.
- Beat the 2 eggs together. Heat a lightly oiled small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture and cook for 1–2 minutes per side until set, like a thin omelette. Remove from the pan and slice into thin strips.
- Add your egg strips, chilli, spring onions and coriander to your rice when all is cooked, and serve!
Hoisin Sauce Instructions
- Add all hoisin sauce ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Use immediately or store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate cooked chicken and rice separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. The hoisin sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
- Make-ahead: Marinate the chicken overnight for deeper flavour. Blend the hoisin sauce up to a week in advance.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked glazed chicken (without rice) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat at 180°C / 350°F until warmed through.
- Substitutions: Swap bok choy for tenderstem broccoli, sugar snap peas, or mushrooms. Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a certified gluten-free option. Brown rice or cauliflower rice work well as lower-GI alternatives.
- Pro tip: Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally before marinating. Thinner pieces absorb more sauce and caramelise faster, giving you stickier, more flavourful chicken in less time.
- Sodium content is relatively high due to the tamari and hoisin sauce ingredients.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes, boneless skinless thighs work well here and are actually more forgiving if you slightly overcook them. Cut them into similar-sized strips and use the same bake time, checking that the internal temperature reaches 74°C / 165°F.
Do I have to marinate for the full 20 minutes?
20 minutes is the practical minimum for the flavour to get into the meat. If you’re genuinely short on time, even 10 minutes is better than nothing — but overnight in the fridge gives noticeably deeper flavour if you can plan ahead.
I’ve never made a sauce in a blender before — will a regular kitchen blender work?
Any standard blender or food processor handles this easily since all the ingredients are liquid or soft. If you don’t have either, a stick blender in a tall jug works just as well for a small batch like this.
Is this recipe suitable for someone with coeliac disease?
It can be, but you need to check every label carefully. Tamari, black bean paste, and any pre-made condiments can contain hidden gluten depending on the brand. Look specifically for products certified gluten-free rather than just labelled ‘no added gluten’.
My oven only has a conventional setting, not a fan. Does that change anything?
Use 200°C / 400°F for a conventional oven — the recipe already lists this. You may find the glaze takes a few extra minutes to caramelise, so keep an eye on it from the 25-minute mark and baste as directed.
Try these next
- Authentic Japanese Chicken Teriyaki
- Quick and Delicious Homemade Chinese Fried Rice
- Fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls
- Street Food Magic: Authentic Chicken Shawarma
