Five-Spice Roasted Chicken Recipe
Email
Bid farewell to the traditional roasted chicken by giving it a dip in an Asian-inspired marinade.
What to buy: Tamari is wheat-free soy sauce. It can be found in gourmet groceries and Asian markets. If you have a hard time finding it, you can substitute soy sauce, but check the marinade’s flavor because regular soy sauce is saltier.
This recipe was featured as part of our Chinese New Year Dishes photo gallery.
INGREDIENTS
- 8 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium shallots, minced
- 1/4 cup peanut oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons five-spice powder
- 1 (5- to 6-pound) chicken, rinsed and patted dry
- 1/4 cup tamari
- 4 teaspoons fish sauce
- 3 teaspoons honey
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine the garlic, shallots, oil, salt, and five-spice powder in a small bowl. Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or a glass dish.
- Loosen the skin from the breast and legs of the chicken and, using your hands, spread half of the oil-spice mixture underneath. Rub the remaining half inside the chicken cavity.
- In a medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together the tamari, fish sauce, and honey until evenly combined. Pour over the chicken and massage briefly into the skin. Cover the chicken, refrigerate, and let marinate 12 hours or overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and discard the marinade. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before roasting.
- When the oven is heated, place the chicken, breast side down, in a roasting pan or baking dish. Roast for 20 minutes, then flip so the breast is facing up. After another 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350°F.
- Continue roasting until the juices run clear when the inner thigh is pierced with a knife, the legs move easily in the joint, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the thigh reads 160°F to 165°F, about 60 to 70 minutes. Let the chicken rest at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Beverage pairing: Toni Jost Bacharacher Hahn Riesling Kabinett, Germany. Something bright, precise, and cutting to take on all the umami from the tamari, fish sauce, and chicken. A little sweetness to handle the honey.
Thanks for sharing. You can't go wrong with a healthy and delicious chicken recipe.
how come I can't stay signed into Chow all the time and not have to sign in every time?
By fatha_francis on September 22, 2010 03:24 AM
What She Said !
how come I can't stay signed into Chow all the time and not have to sign in every time?
If you will use oil, add it to the 2nd mixture rather than the first. If you put it on the first mixture, it will inevitably get on the skin and make the aqueous second mixture bead off the chicken rather than absorb into it.
how to rescue if you have already followed the recipe and encounter beading problem? Mix the 2nd mixture with the remains of the 1st mixture and somewhat emulsify them so it will stick to the skin.
To moisten the first mixture, soy sauce or water may be used instead of oil.
In roasting, the principle is after marinating, no more watery substance is to touch the outside of the meat (chicken) so using the water based 2nd mixture is not scientifically sound.
This was fantastic, some of the best chicken I have ever made. I am usually wary of "flipping" a bird during roasting as all it usually accomplishes is tearing the skin. However, this one resulted in a beautifully dark roasted skin with wonderful flavor and was not difficult at all. Other recipes I've seen online suggest adding the spice to the marinade, but I think the rub under the skin is superior and gave a fantastic flavor throughout the bird. We used a smaller organic chicken, which I think helped since we did not have a bird with oversized parts or tough meat. Regardless, I will be making this recipe again, though I will try adding some brown sugar to the spice rub.
I don't know if I did something wrong but I didn't care for it at all. It smelled great cooking but the garlic overwelmed the chicken. Also the garlic and shallots turned into distastefull paste under the skin.
Made this last night. Was a bit leary of the fish sauce. It packs a powerful punch. Didn't have time for the 12 to overnight marinating, but did get 8 hours in. The smell while this was cooking was incredible and the taste didn't let you down. It was moist and flavorful. The skin crisped up nicely. I used a roasting rack and did not truss it hoping for more skin crisping that way. A bit time consuming but once you have the garlic and shallot under the skin the rest is a breeze.
That reads like a great recipe! I'll try it!
I cut the backbone out and put it on the grill (laid flat) for 1 1/2 hours over indirect heat. Then I finished it breast side down over medium heat to crisp the skin. Came out great. Interesting flavor. I paired it with gin & tonic because that's how I roll.
I assume the five-spice powder & garlic is rubbed on after the 12-hour marinade, before the chicken goes in the oven?