ChineseChicken-1-10I give you permission to lick your screen.  I know I’ve been tempted to do so a couple of times while editing these pictures but I managed to resist the urge and get down to business.   But here’s the good news, this chicken is as good as it looks.   ChineseChicken-1It’s juicy, sweet, salty and fully of that Asian flavor that we all seem to love.   Originally when I created this recipe I was tempted to fry the chicken and make a dipping sauce with the marinade but decided to create a healthier dish, so I roasted it instead.  ChineseChicken-1-2 My friends, in no way did I sacrifice taste by roasting it instead of deep frying this bad boy.    It was divine.   I was in heaven.    ChineseChicken-1-3From the moment I carved the chicken and had to duck from the juice squirting back at me, I knew that this couldn’t be a bad thing.   Cooking the chicken covered on a lower temperature creates a very juice bird that soaks up some of the marinade.  ChineseChicken-1-6 I think the flavor overall was very close to some of the Chinese Fried Chicken I’ve had from Guyanese Chinese restaurants and that made me a very happy girl.    ChineseChicken-1-9

ChineseChicken-1-8

 

Roast Chinese Chicken

Recipe Type: Dinner
Author: Jehan P
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 5 lb whole chicken
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • ½ tsp chili flakes
  • 1 star anise
  • ¼ tsp 5 spice powder
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 slices of ginger
  • 3 scallions, finely chopped
  • 2 pieces of orange peel
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
Instructions
  1. In a bowl small bowl, add soy sauce, water, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, chili flakes, star anise, 5 spice powder, garlic, orange peel, ginger and scallion and mix to combine. Set aside.
  2. Place the whole chicken on a cutting board and with a sharp knife cut along the back bone of the chicken, starting at the tail end. Once the back bone has been cut all the way through, spread the chicken open. Now press the knife down the center of the breast bone cutting all the way through. You should now half two halves.
  3. Place the half in a large ziplock bag and add marinade. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Place chicken skin side up and all of the marinade in a large baking dish. Cover tightly with foil then place into preheated oven. Bake covered for 1 ½ hours.
  6. After 1 ½ hour, turn the oven up to 425 and bake chicken uncovered for 30 minutes basting every 5 minutes.
  7. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, mix 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water and pour into baking dish. Stir carefully to combine.
  8. Now continue to cook the chicken and baste every 2-3 minutes with thickened sauce.
  9. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.