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    Home » SNACKS & BITES

    Sticky Crispy Chicken Bao Buns

    Published: November 4, 2022 · Updated: November 4, 2022 by Ieva · This post may contain affiliate links · 19 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Sticky Crispy Chicken coated in sweet and salty Chinese BBQ sauce… Fresh and crunchy Asian-style Cabbage Slaw… A light and fluffy steamed bao bun… Have we said enough to make your mouth water? Our absolute favourite appetizer (or even a main meal), these Sticky Crispy Chicken Bao Buns can be made completely from scratch! These are ridiculously delicious, so if you’re looking for a bunch of compliments from your family or guests, go on and try these delicious chicken bao!

    Take Me To:
    • Best Steamed Bao Buns
    • Sticky Chinese BBQ Chicken Filling
      • Make the Chinese BBQ Sauce (Char Siu)
      • Cook the Chicken
    • Vegetables for Filling
    • Alternative Bao Bun Fillings
    • How To Make Chicken Bao Into a Main Meal?
    • Recipe FAQs:
    • Other Chinese Recipes To Try
    • Recipe Card

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    Best Steamed Bao Buns

    We are advocates of homemade food. I feel that if you have the time to spare, your meal will taste better if made completely from scratch! And of course, it will give you a sense of achievement. And… perhaps most importantly, you can take full credit and bathe in the sea of compliments you receive at your dinner table.

    So whilst you can buy bao in most large supermarkets these days, we highly recommend making your own Steamed Bao Buns. Don’t worry, you don’t need a bamboo steamer for them, as long as you have a metal steamer pan or an electric vegetable steamer.

    A steamed bao bun lifted out of an electric vegetable steamer.

    Sticky Chinese BBQ Chicken Filling

    We love making steamed buns, and we try to experiment with different fillings all the time, but so far Sticky Chinese BBQ Chicken Filled Bao are our firm favourite. Sweet, salty, crunchy and sticky – what’s not to like? There are two elements to this filling: the sauce and the chicken itself.

    Make the Chinese BBQ Sauce (Char Siu)

    If you are short on time, you can pick up a jar of Char Siu from the shop, or order it online. But if you have 10 extra minutes, this sticky sweet sauce is a breeze to make. Simply follow our Chinese BBQ Sauce Recipe and use it as a sauce for the chicken.

    Chinese BBQ Sauce for the Chicken Bao Buns in a blue bowl with a spoon dipped into it.

    Cook the Chicken

    Cut the chicken breasts into small thin strips. You really need to spend the time here and make them small, as they will need to fit into the bao buns. Furthermore, small pieces mean more surface area for the coating, which translates into an extra crispy chicken filling.

    In a large bowl, mix the cornflour and plain (all-purpose) flour. Add the chicken strips, and using your hands, mix the chicken until every single bit is covered in flour.

    Heat a generous glug of oil (like vegetable or sunflower oil) in a large non-stick frying pan (you may need to use two pans in order not to overcrowd the pan). Add the chicken to hot oil and let it sizzle on medium-high for a couple of minutes. Make sure the chicken strips have space, otherwise they will stew and won’t crisp up. You can always fry the chicken in batches. Stir and brown the chicken on all sides. Place the chicken strips on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any extra oil.

    Chicken strips coated in cornflour and flour mixture in a white bowl.
    Fried crispy chicken in a large non-stick pan.
    Chinese BBq Sauce being poured into the pan with the crispy chicken.

    Wipe the pan clean and add the Chinese BBQ Sauce. Stir for a minute until it warms up. Then add the crispy chicken into the pan and stir just enough to coat.

    And here you have it! Your Sticky Chinese Chicken Filling!

    Vegetables for Filling

    We absolutely love this filling with our Asian Cabbage Slaw with Sesame Mayo. Not only does it add the extra crunch, but it also gives that extra bit of creamy mayo, making the filling moist and irresistible. And we simply cannot imagine food without any vegetables: so we added 6 different veggies into our tasty slaw that goes so well with this Bao bun chicken filling.

    Bao Buns are filled with asian-style cabbage slaw.

    Alternative Bao Bun Fillings

    We absolutely love filling these homemade steamed buns with:

    • Korean Chicken from Kitchen Sanctuary
    • Satay-Style Jackfruit (that we also use in vegan burgers)
    • Crispy Honey Chicken
    • Crispy Chilli Chicken | Chinese Fakeaway
    • Crispy Chilli Beef

    We are currently in the process of developing a few other delicious bao bun recipes, that will be posted at the beginning of 2023. We have a wonderful Japanese-inspired salmon recipe as well as a mouth-watering plant-based option. Keep an eye out for these recipes early next year!

    How To Make Chicken Bao Into a Main Meal?

    We make bao buns as a main meal for dinner all the time. They are both a meal and an experience, as we each assemble our own buns at the table. Whilst it is a messy meal to eat, it is certainly a lot of fun! Just keep a handful of napkins close by.

    Serve 5-6 crispy chicken bao buns per portion, and if you have a hungry family, simply add edamame beans and garlic-chilli stir-fried broccoli on the side!

    Recipe FAQs:

    How Many Chicken Bao Per Portion?

    Crispy Chicken Bao are perfect as an appetizer at a party. They can be served as a two-bite canape, or 1-2 buns per portion as a starter at a sit-down meal. If you’re looking to serve these as a main meal, I would recommend 5-6 per portion.

    Can These Buns Be Reheated?

    Only individual elements can be reheated. You can place the Chinese Bao Buns back into a steamer for 1-2 minutes to reheat. Heat the Chinese BBQ sauce in a pan and then stir the chicken through it for 1-2 minutes to warm up. The chicken will have lost some crispiness, of course, but it will still taste nice.

    Crispy Chicken Filled Bao Buns on a black tray with a bamboo mat in the backgound.

    Other Chinese Recipes To Try

    We love to eat at Chinese Restaurants, have Cantonese Take-Aways and cook Oriental meals at home! Here are some of our favourite homemade meals:

    • Crispy Chilli Beef | Home-Made Chinese Take-Away Favourite
    • Quick & Easy Honey Chicken
    • Crispy Tofu Kung Pao

    Recipe Card

    Crispy Chicken Filled Steamed Bao Buns on a black tray on a rustic wooden table.

    Sticky Crispy Chicken Bao Buns

    Sticky Crispy Chicken coated in sweet and salty Chinese BBQ sauce… Fresh and crunchy Asian-style Cabbage Slaw… A light and fluffy steamed bao bun… Have we said enough to make your mouth water? Our absolute favourite appetizer (or even a main meal), these Sticky Crispy Chicken Bao Buns can be made completely from scratch! These are ridiculously delicious, so if you're looking for a bunch of compliments from your family or guests, go on and try these delicious chicken bao!
    5 from 20 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack, Starter
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 30 filled buns
    Calories 132 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 30 steamed bao buns
    • ½ recipe Asian-Style Cabbage Slaw

    For Sticky Chicken:

    • 500 g chicken breast
    • 4 tbsp cornflour
    • 2 tablespoon flour
    • 300 ml Chinese BBQ Sauce (Char Siu)
    • oil for frying

    Instructions
     

    • First, prepare the Chinese BBQ Sauce, Asian Cabbage Slaw and Steamed Bao Buns, that will all be used in this recipe.
    • Cut the chicken breast into small thin strips.
    • Mix cornflour and plain flour in a large bowl. Add the chicken and mix thoroughly ensuring every bit of chicken is coated.
    • Heat a generous glug of oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add half of the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat, then mix and carry on cooking until chicken is browned on all sides and fully cooked through. Spoon the chicken out on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. Alternatively, use two pans.
    • Once all the chicken is cooked, wipe the frying pan clean. Add the Chinese BBQ sauce and heat on low for a minute to warm through. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir to coat in sauce.
    • Stuff steamed bao buns with a small spoonful of Asian Cabbage Slaw, top with crispy chicken and dig in!

    Notes

    The timings shown above do not include the time it takes to make Steamed Bao Buns, Chinese BBQ Sauce and the Asian Cabbage Slaw. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 132kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 6gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 269mgPotassium: 132mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 42IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword bbq chicken bao buns, chicken bao buns, chicken steamed buns, chinese steamed buns with chicken, sticky chicken filled buns
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Pin for Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kim

      December 12, 2022 at 1:18 pm

      5 stars
      These look delicious! I haven’t had bao buns in so long. I am excited to try them.

      Reply
    2. Hayley Dhanecha

      February 13, 2023 at 7:27 am

      5 stars
      Making bao buns from scratch, so rewarding! Tried with vegetable fillings, they were so good.

      Reply
      • Ieva

        February 13, 2023 at 4:50 pm

        Oh, you must share some of your favourite vegetable fillings – I would love to try something new!

        Reply
    3. Casey

      February 13, 2023 at 1:17 pm

      5 stars
      I really enjoyed the filling in these, and the Chinese BBQ sauce added the perfect flavor.

      Reply
    4. Kushigalu

      February 24, 2023 at 2:40 pm

      5 stars
      Bao Buns is my all-time favorite. Looks fantastic. Can’t wait to try your recipe.

      Reply
    5. Katherine

      March 05, 2023 at 2:52 pm

      5 stars
      Soft bao buns and sticky crispy chicken – this is incredible!

      Reply
    6. dina and bruce miller

      April 01, 2023 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      Excited to find this recipe on your page! Can not wait to make these!

      Reply
    7. Dannii

      April 02, 2023 at 5:48 pm

      5 stars
      These were much easier to make than I thought they would be. So much flavour!

      Reply
      • Ieva

        April 03, 2023 at 6:48 am

        So glad you gave them a go! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Stephanie

      April 13, 2023 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      There is an animated Disney short where this Chinese grandmother is making Bao buns. The name of it might even be Bao. Anyway, since I saw that I’ve always wanted to make them! I’m so excited to have a recipe!

      Reply
    9. Kate

      May 03, 2023 at 9:29 am

      5 stars
      Love this bao bun filling! Soooo good.

      Reply
      • Ieva

        May 04, 2023 at 6:47 am

        Thanks, Kate! ❤️

        Reply
    10. Chenee

      May 11, 2023 at 1:16 pm

      5 stars
      So yummy! I’ve never tried making my own bao buns before, and it was surprisingly simple!

      Reply
    11. Helen

      June 11, 2023 at 6:58 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve never tried making my own bao buns at home but you’ve made it look very achievable! We’ll have to have a go 🙂

      Reply
      • Ieva

        June 12, 2023 at 11:25 am

        I am so glad you feel inspired to amke these gorgeous buns at home!

        Reply
    12. Ned

      June 29, 2023 at 1:22 pm

      5 stars
      So awesome! I cannot wait to make these this weekend!! Thank you for an awesome recipe!

      Reply
    13. imsen

      September 10, 2023 at 8:50 am

      5 stars
      These buns looks so incredible! The chicken is so crispy and the buns look so soft. Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Ieva

        September 11, 2023 at 5:08 am

        You are most welcome! Hope you like them!

        Reply
    14. Jacqueline

      September 18, 2023 at 8:46 pm

      5 stars
      There’s just something so cute about Bao buns. So fun to eat too.

      Reply

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    Hi, I am Ieva – the face behind this blog. I live in North Wales with my husband Seb and our golden retriever Sawyer. It’s safe to say that I live and breathe food: from researching and reading about food to creating new recipes and growing vegetables to use in my cooking.  The great thing is, Seb appreciates all the good meals that are also essential at his worst ‘hangry’ moments! Somebody HAS to feed Seb…

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