Asian BBQ Pulled Chicken Gua Bao
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6 Buns
 
Ingredients
For the Buns:
  • 12 4"x4" parchment paper squares
  • 1 teaspoon rapid rise yeast
  • ½ cup warm water + 1 tbsp
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp
  • 2½ tsp melted coconut oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Chicken & Sauce
  • 1 lb chicken, shredded (about 2-3 large breasts or 1 rotisserie chicken)
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Toppings:
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ cup sliced radishes
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
Instructions
For the Buns
  1. In a small bowl add your yeast, ½ cup warm water (not too hot where it will kill the yeast, but definitely not luke warm where it won't activate it) and 1 tsp sugar. Mix together until dissolved and let yeast activate for 10 minutes (until it foams up nice).
  2. Next in a separate bowl add your flour, baking powder, sugar & salt. Stir until mixed. Add your activated yeast mixture as well as your coconut oil a little at a time, folding the flour over the water until fully incorporated. Use that extra tbsp of water here if your mixture is too dry (we all measure a little differently).
  3. Next on a surface begin to knead your dough until a nice smooth round ball forms. Do this for about 10 minutes. Once dough is nice and round place into a lightlyl greased bowl (I use more coconut oil) and let rise until doubled in size, about 1½ - 2 hours.
  4. Once dough has doubled in size, divide evenly into six pieces, and roll into little balls. Cover balls with plastic wrap and let them rise again for about 30 minutes.
  5. Using a rolling pin, roll each small ball out into a tiny oval pancake that will measure about 6" x 2"-3" and place onto a square of parchment paper. Fold over like making a taco and place another small square of parchment paper in between the folded halves to prevent from sticking. Repeat this step until all of your dough is shaped.
  6. Place in steamer basket, cover with plastic wrap, and let them rise again for another 30 minutes.
  7. Once buns are ready for steaming, place over the heated water and put steamer basket with buns in place (with lid on). Steam for about 10 minutes over medium heat.
  8. Remove steamer from heat and then remove buns and let rest until dry and you are ready to serve.
For the chicken
  1. In a small sauce pan add your sesame oil over medium heat. Add your shallots & ginger. Stir until fragrant (about 3-4 minutes). Add your minced garlic. Let cook for another minute. Reduce heat to a simmer and add your hoisin, honey, oyster sauce, vinegar, soy sauce & cayenne pepper. Stir for about another two minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and let cool for five minutes. Pour over shredded chicken and mix until chicken is fully coated.
For serving:
  1. Take your bun and stuff with a couple tbsp chicken, some chopped cilantro, sliced radishes and green onions. Serve.
Recipe by My Lavender Blues at https://mylavenderblues.com/asian-bbq-pulled-chicken-gua-bao/