Recipe Station

Author, Chef, and Magazine Editor, Valli Little, provides her recipe for some of the tastiest roasted chicken you will ever enjoy. The use of coconut sugar and fish sauce take this one-pot recipe to the next level.

What You Will Need:

•2 long red chilies (Note 1)

•1 tsp freshly grated ginger

•2 garlic cloves, crushed

•1 tbsp coconut oil (or substitute with olive oil)

•1 cup finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

•3lb/1.6kg whole chicken, preferably organic/free range

•2 cups chicken broth/stock (preferably reduced salt)

•1 lemongrass, white part only, bruised

•2 kaffir lime leaves

•14oz/400ml light coconut milk (1 can)

•0.8lb / 400g baby potatoes, scrubbed clean

•1 lime

•2 tsp coconut sugar (or substitute with brown sugar)

•1 tbsp fish sauce

How To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 390F/200C.
2. Finely mince ONE red chili (~1 tbsp). Combine chili, ginger, garlic, oil, ½ cup cilantro/coriander, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Rinse and pat the chicken dry (inside and out) with paper towels. Starting from the neck end of the chicken, use a teaspoon upside down to loosen the skin from the meat across the surface of the chicken (i.e. not the legs or wings). Just go as far as you can.
4. Spoon the cilantro/mixture between the meat and the skin near neck. Use the spoon to spread it a bit, then to finish it off, use your finger/hands ON the skin to spread the mixture as far and evenly as you can. Doesn't need to be perfect! 🙂
5. Place the chicken stock/broth, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and the whole red chili into a dutch oven or baking tray.
6. Place the chicken in the broth, cover with a lid and roast for 45 minutes. Remove the lid, add the coconut milk and potatoes then roast for a further 30 minutes, or until juices run clear when pierced.
7. Remove the chicken from the broth and cover loosely with foil to rest for 5 minutes.
8. Skim excess fat off the surface of the broth – I usually get about 5 tbsp of fat off.
9. Add the juice from the lime, sugar and fish sauce. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add remaining cilantro/coriander.
10. Serve the chicken with the broth in a pouring jug, or cut up the chicken and serve it in the broth.

Note: How to work with lemongrass: Peel the tough outer pale green layers to reveal the white part inside. Chop the reedy end off so you end up with the white and pale green parts. Use the side of your knife to bash it to break it open a bit – it helps release flavour.

Article Source: Feel Good Food Cook Book By Valli Little, Recipe Tin Eats