Steamed Spelt Bao Buns with Char Siu Chicken and Pickles

Spelt char siu chicken bao are steamed white spelt buns folded around honey-hoisin chicken thigh and quick cucumber pickles. The whole recipe takes 117 minutes, and most of that is hands-off.

White spelt flour makes a soft, pale bun with a mild nutty sweetness. The texture stays light, so the buns hold a sticky filling without tearing. You can marinate the chicken while the dough proofs.

The chicken roasts at 220 C / 425 F for 25 minutes, until the edges char and the thickest strip reaches 165 F / 74 C. The buns proof and steam alongside it. The steps stay clear and the timing overlaps.

Watch the second proof. Spelt buns that rise past 20 minutes sag and wrinkle in the steam.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Spelt gives the buns a soft, faintly nutty crumb
Dough proofs while the chicken marinates, so timing stays easy
Thigh meat stays juicy and chars at the edges
Cooked buns and chicken both freeze and reheat cleanly

Hands folding an oiled oval of white spelt dough over a parchment square on a floured wooden board

Ingredient Notes

white spelt flour: Use white (sifted) spelt flour for a soft, pale bun. Wholegrain spelt makes a denser, darker bun. Plain wheat flour works as a 1:1 swap.
chicken thighs: Thighs stay juicy at 220 C / 425 F. Chicken breast works but dries out faster, so start checking the temperature at 18 minutes.
Shaoxing wine: Dry sherry is the closest swap. For an alcohol-free version, use chicken stock with 1/2 tsp rice vinegar.
hoisin sauce: Hoisin brings sweetness and color to the glaze. Brands vary in saltiness, so taste yours before adding extra soy sauce.
instant yeast: Instant yeast mixes straight into the flour. If you only have active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk for 5 minutes first.

Family table with an open bamboo steamer, bowls of sliced chicken and pickles, and linen napkins in window light

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 32 mins

Rest Time 60 mins

Total Time 1 hr 57 mins

Cooking Method: Mixed

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Courses: Main Course

Difficulty: Medium

Cooking Temp: 220 C

Servings: 4

Estimated Cost: 2.60

Calories: 663

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains Dairy, Contains gluten (spelt), Contains meat, High Protein

Description

Yeasted white spelt dough is shaped, proofed and steamed while honey-hoisin chicken thighs roast at 220 C / 425 F. Both meet in the bun with quick cucumber pickles.

Ingredients

Bao dough

300 g white spelt flour (plus extra for dusting)
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
170 ml whole milk (warm, about 35 C / 95 F)
1 tbsp neutral oil (plus 2 tsp for brushing and the proofing bowl)

Char siu chicken

600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into strips about 3 cm thick)
3 tbsp hoisin sauce (for the marinade)
1 tbsp honey (for the marinade)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
2 cloves garlic (grated)
1 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp hoisin sauce (for the glaze)
1 tbsp honey (for the glaze)

Pickles and filling

200 g cucumber (thinly sliced)
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp granulated sugar (for the pickles)
1/2 tsp fine salt (for the pickles)
3 spring onions (thinly sliced)
20 g fresh coriander (optional)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce (to serve)

Instructions

Make the dough

1
Whisk the spelt flour, yeast, 1 tbsp sugar, baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt in a 3-quart / 2.8 L mixing bowl. Add the warm milk and 1 tbsp oil and stir into a shaggy dough. Knead on a surface dusted with spelt flour for 8 minutes, until smooth and slightly tacky.
2
Put the dough in a bowl brushed with a little oil and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave it in a warm spot for 60 minutes, until doubled. Start the chicken and pickles while it rises.

Marinate the chicken and pickle the cucumber

3
Mix 3 tbsp hoisin, 1 tbsp honey, the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic, ginger, five-spice and sesame oil in a bowl. Add the chicken strips and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for the 60 minutes the dough proofs.
4
Toss the cucumber with the rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Leave it for at least 20 minutes, stirring once. Drain before filling the buns.

Shape, roast, steam and fill

5
When the dough has doubled, heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F. Punch the dough down and divide it into 8 pieces of about 63 g. Roll each into a 10 x 8 cm oval, brush the top with oil and fold in half. Set each bun on a 10 cm parchment square and cover with a tea towel.
6
Spread the chicken in a single layer on a parchment-lined 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18-inch sheet pan, with 2 cm gaps between strips. Roast for 25 minutes. Brush with a mix of 1 tbsp hoisin and 1 tbsp honey at the 15-minute mark. The edges should char and the thickest strip should read 165 F / 74 C.
7
As the chicken goes in, start the second proof. Leave the shaped buns covered for 20 minutes, until puffy and a floured fingertip leaves a dent that springs back slowly. Stop at 20 minutes, because over-proofed spelt buns sag and wrinkle in the steam.
8
In the last 5 minutes of the proof, bring about 4 cm of water to a boil in a 30 cm / 12-inch wok. Set 4 buns on their parchment in each tier of a 26 cm / 10-inch bamboo steamer, with 2 cm gaps. Wrap the lid in a tea towel and steam over medium-high heat for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, wait 1 minute, then lift the lid.
9
Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then cut the strips into bite-size pieces. Open each bun and fill with chicken, drained pickles, spring onions and coriander. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp hoisin and serve within 10 minutes of steaming.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 663kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 140mg47%
Sodium 1150mg48%
Potassium 650mg19%
Total Carbohydrate 94g32%
Dietary Fiber 5g20%
Sugars 22g
Protein 42g84%

Vitamin A 150 IU
Vitamin C 4 mg
Calcium 90 mg
Iron 4 mg
Vitamin D 20 IU
Vitamin E 1 mg
Vitamin K 8 mcg
Thiamin 0.4 mg
Riboflavin 0.4 mg
Niacin 12 mg
Vitamin B6 0.7 mg
Folate 50 mcg
Vitamin B12 0.8 mcg
Phosphorus 400 mg
Magnesium 90 mg
Zinc 3.5 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Marinate the chicken for the full 60 minutes in the fridge, or overnight.
Roast until the thickest strip reads 165 F / 74 C, then rest it 5 minutes.
Keep a 2 cm gap between buns in each steamer tier so they can expand.
Stop the second proof at 20 minutes, even if the buns look small.
Brush the glaze on at the 15-minute mark only, and discard any glaze left in the bowl.

Keywords: spelt char siu chicken bao, spelt bao buns, char siu chicken, steamed bao, homemade bao buns

Equipment

26 cm / 10-inch two-tier bamboo steamer
30 cm / 12-inch wok
33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18-inch sheet pan
instant-read thermometer
3-quart / 2.8 L mixing bowl
pastry brush

Tips

Use white spelt flour, not wholegrain. The finer flour gives a softer, paler bun and absorbs liquid more predictably.
Cut the thighs into strips about 3 cm thick so the edges char and the centers cook through in 25 minutes.
Cut a parchment square for each bun so it lifts off cleanly and never sticks to the bamboo.
Wrap the steamer lid in a clean tea towel so condensation soaks into the cloth instead of dripping onto the buns.
Check the thickest chicken strip with an instant-read thermometer. It should read 165 F / 74 C before you rest and slice it.

Variations

Replace the milk with lukewarm water for a dairy-free dough. The crumb stays soft, though slightly less rich.
Marinate firm tofu strips or thick king oyster mushroom slices the same way for a vegetarian filling, roasted until the edges char.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces of about 42 g for smaller buns, and steam them in two batches of 6 for 10 minutes each.

Storage and Reheating

Store the cooked buns and the char siu chicken separately in airtight containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Keep the pickles in their own container too. The buns stay soft and the pickles stay crisp this way.

To reheat the buns, steam them for 5 minutes from chilled, or 8 to 10 minutes from frozen with no thawing. Warm the chicken in a 20 cm / 8-inch skillet over medium heat with 1 tbsp water for 3 to 4 minutes, until it reaches 165 F / 74 C. Fill the buns after reheating.

Freeze cooled buns in a single layer, then bag them for up to 2 months. The cooked chicken freezes for the same time. Steam the buns rather than microwaving them, because steam keeps the crumb soft.

Serving Suggestions

Serve spelt char siu chicken bao straight from the steamer. Fill each bun with chicken, pickles, spring onion and a little extra hoisin. The buns stay soft and the filling stays warm if you serve within 10 minutes of steaming.

For a family table, put the steamer, sliced chicken and toppings in the middle and let everyone fill their own, as you would with spelt flatbread, wrap and pitta dinners. Two buns per person make a filling main with one side.

Garlic bok choy or a crisp chili-lime slaw works on the side. A small dish of chili oil stays useful for anyone who wants heat.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/steamed-spelt-bao-buns-char-siu-chicken/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!