Why You’ll Love This this Sweet & Savory Char Siu Chicken Pancake
These pancakes bring together the best of both worlds—tender, savory char siu chicken wrapped in delicate, crepe-like pancakes that somehow manage to be both comforting and elegant at the same time.
You get that sweet-salty punch from the char siu sauce mingling with fresh, crisp cucumber and spring onion strips that add just the right amount of crunch and freshness to each bite.
It’s basically like having dim sum and brunch crash into each other in the most delicious way possible, and honestly, who wouldn’t want that kind of beautiful collision on their dinner table?
Ingredients List
Let’s break down what you’ll need to create these delightful fusion pancakes that’ll have your taste buds doing a happy dance.
- 6 green spring onions
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers, halved and deseeded
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped leftover
- 1/2 cup char siu sauce
- 1 cup plain flour
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- Salt
- Pepper
Health considerations to keep in mind:
- This recipe gives you a good protein boost from the chicken and eggs, plus some fresh veggies for crunch and nutrients
- The char siu sauce does pack some sugar and sodium, so if you’re watching those, you might want to use it sparingly or look for a lower-sodium version
- Using leftover chicken makes this a great way to repurpose protein instead of letting it go to waste
- The pancakes themselves are pretty basic and not loaded with butter or oil, which keeps things on the lighter side
Step by Step Directions
Making these char siu chicken pancakes involves preparing the batter, cooking the pancakes, and assembling with the flavorful filling.
For the pancakes:
- Place flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Gradually whisk in eggs and milk until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper.
For the filling and assembly:
- Cut spring onions and cucumbers into 10cm-long thin strips.
- Place chicken and char siu sauce in a small pan and cook over low heat, stirring until hot.
- Heat an oiled heavy-based frying pan (23cm base) over medium heat.
- Pour 1/3 cup pancake batter into pan and tilt to cover evenly.
- Cook until lightly browned, then flip and cook for 15 seconds.
- Slide onto plate and cover to keep warm.
- Repeat to make 8 pancakes total.
- Fold each pancake in half.
- Place 1/4 cup chicken mixture in the centre of each pancake.
- Top with spring onions and cucumber strips.
- Fold pancakes to enclose filling and serve warm.
For those who frequently make homemade pancakes and other dishes from scratch, investing in a professional pasta maker can elevate your cooking capabilities beyond just this recipe.
Substitutions and Variations
- Dairy-free option – plant-based milk works just as well in the batter, and honestly, I can barely taste the difference.
- Add some heat – a drizzle of sriracha or chili oil in the chicken mixture turns these from mild to wild pretty quickly.
- Herb it up – fresh cilantro, mint, or Thai basil scattered with the other fillings brings a bright, fresh note that cuts through the rich sauce.
- Make them smaller – use less batter per pancake to create appetizer-sized versions, perfect for parties where people can grab and go.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
These pancakes are pretty satisfying on their own, but a few simple sides can turn this into a proper feast.
- Asian slaw – shredded cabbage and carrots tossed with rice vinegar and a touch of sesame oil cuts through all that rich char siu sauce beautifully.
- Steamed jasmine rice – because sometimes you need something neutral and comforting to balance out all the bold flavors, plus it soaks up any sauce that escapes.
- Quick pickled vegetables – cucumber, radish, or carrot pickles add that sharp, tangy bite that makes your taste buds wake up between bites.
- Simple stir-fried greens – bok choy, Chinese broccoli, or even regular broccoli with garlic keeps things light and adds some much-needed vegetables to the plate.
- Hot and sour soup – if you’re going full restaurant-style at home, a bowl of this classic starter sets the stage perfectly.
- Fresh fruit – pineapple chunks or sliced Asian pear provide a sweet, invigorating palate cleanser that honestly feels necessary after all that savory goodness.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Getting these pancakes just right isn’t rocket science, but a few insider moves will save you from the frustration of torn pancakes and soggy fillings.
- Let your batter rest for 15-20 minutes – this gives the flour time to fully hydrate, which means smoother pancakes that won’t fight you when you flip them.
- Use a non-stick pan if you have one – seriously, this isn’t the time to prove your skills with grandma’s old cast iron, you want these babies sliding around effortlessly.
- Keep the heat at medium – too hot and you’ll get pancakes that look perfect on the outside but stay gooey in the middle, too low and they’ll be tough and chewy.
- Don’t overfill with chicken mixture – I know it’s tempting to stuff them full, but about 1/4 cup really is the sweet spot for pancakes that actually fold without exploding.
- Warm your chicken mixture thoroughly – cold filling will make your pancakes soggy faster than you can say “disappointing dinner.”
- Stack finished pancakes with parchment between each one – this prevents them from sticking together while you finish the batch, because peeling apart torn pancakes is nobody’s idea of fun.
- Slice your vegetables uniformly – those cucumber and spring onion strips should be roughly the same thickness so every bite has the right crunch-to-filling ratio.
Nutritional Facts
This fusion dish packs a solid nutritional punch while keeping things relatively light – each pancake delivers quality protein from both eggs and chicken, plus fresh vegetables for crunch and vitamins.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 280-320 calories per filled pancake (recipe makes 8 servings)
- Protein powerhouse: Each serving provides about 20-25g of protein from chicken and eggs – perfect for muscle maintenance and satiety
- Carbohydrates: Around 25-30g per serving, mainly from the flour in the pancakes, providing steady energy
- Fat content: Moderate at 8-12g per serving, mostly from eggs and any oil used for cooking
- Fiber boost: Cucumbers and spring onions contribute 2-3g of dietary fiber per serving for digestive health
- Sodium consideration: Char siu sauce is the main sodium contributor – each serving contains approximately 400-600mg depending on sauce brand
- Vitamin highlights: Spring onions provide vitamin K and folate, while cucumbers add vitamin C and potassium
- Low sugar: Only 4-6g of natural sugars per serving, primarily from milk and vegetables
- Calcium content: Each serving provides about 10-15% of daily calcium needs thanks to milk and eggs
- Iron source: Chicken contributes heme iron, which is easily absorbed by the body
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond its impressive nutritional profile, char siu chicken pancakes carry fascinating stories that’ll make your next dinner conversation as memorable as the meal itself.
Did you know char siu literally means “fork roasted” in Cantonese? Ancient cooks used large forks to hang meat over open fires. The signature red color doesn’t come from the marinade—it’s traditionally from red fermented bean curd or food coloring.
Pancakes themselves date back 30,000 years, making them humanity’s oldest prepared dish. When you combine Eastern char siu with Western-style pancakes, you’re creating a fusion that bridges continents and millennia of culinary evolution.
