A staple dish in our household, perfect for causal weekday dinners or weekend lunches, or even when entertaining friends.
We like to keep things simple and juicy by roasting the chicken open, allowing for a shorter roasting time and ensuring every bite is succulent and flavourful. Plus, it’s easy to carve and there’s minimal waste, making it a practical choice on a busy day.
The dipping liquid is soaked up between the skin and meat of the chicken, which locks in the moisture and flavour. And the combination of ginger and kaffir lime leaves creates a delightful aroma, while the crispy skin and tender chicken meat make every bite a delight.
Kaffir lime leaves are an essential part of Thai cuisine. The leaves are sold in small bags or containers in Asian grocery shops, but they’re usually a bit expensive. So, I recommend growing your own kaffir lime tree at home, if you can.
Kaffir lime grows well in a large flowerpot and, as the plant is an evergreen, it makes a lovely addition in a garden or on a balcony. Kaffir lime has a wonderful, soothing fragrance. As they grow, the leaves become harder, so the newer, younger leaves are more suitable for eating. Of course, the fruit is also rich in vitamins and can be used in the same way as lemon or lime, although it is bitter.
Another distinctive feature of Kaffir lime is that its leaves are connected in pairs.
As for the fish sauce, another key ingredient in this dish, my favourite is a premium product made in Thailand: “The Royal Squid Brand Premium Fish Sauce,” a sauce with a perfect balance of saltiness and anchovy flavour along with a beautiful colour.
I like to serve this with jasmine rice and some stir-fried green vegetables.
R
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Thai-style Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg whole chicken
- 8~10 kafir lime leaves (a.k.a. Thai lime, makrut lime)
- 20 g ginger (about 4cm)
- 20 g garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 chilli red cayenne chilli medium
- 85 g coriander (about 3-4 stems)
- 5 tbsp fish sauce (a.k.a. nam pla) (tbsp=15ml)
- 4 tbsp sugar (tbsp=15ml)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (tbsp=15ml)
- 3 small tomatoes
- 1/4 red onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200℃ (fan-forced)
- Pat the chicken thoroughly dry with paper towel.
- Cut through the centre of the backbone of the chicken from the backbone side with kitchen scissors.
- Prise the chicken open with your hands.
- Remove the fatty parts and wipe away any blood and moisture.
- Turn the chicken breast side up and insert your hand between the skin and the meat from the neck side to create a gap between the skin and the meat.Tip: Liquid will go in here, so make the gap as carefully as possible to avoid tearing the skin. Also, to avoid too much spillage when the liquid goes in, ensure that the lower part of the skin and meat are not completely removed from each other (the skin and meat should remain partly attached).
- Reach down to the thigh of the chicken and make a gap between the skin and the meat.
- Shred the ginger.
- Tear 4-5 kaffir lime leaves by hand.
- Line a roasting pan with a baking sheet, place the ginger and kaffir lime into it and place the chicken on top.
- Finely chop the garlic and chilli, and place in a small bowl.
- Wash the coriander, chop the stems only, and place them in the bowl with the garlic and chilli.
- Cut the coriander leaves into 4-5 cm widths for an accompanying salad.
- Halve the limes and add the juice to the bowl.
- Add 4 tbsp sugar and 5 tbsp fish sauce to the bowl and mix well.
- Divide half of the dipping liquid into separate containers (this is for the sauce later.)
- Put the dipping liquid between the skin and meat of the chicken and rub it into the meat. Make sure to get the liquid in all the way down to the leg and thigh.
- Turn the chicken over and rub the dipping liquid into the underside as well.
- Turn the chicken over and brush the surface of the skin with the marinade too.
- Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil over the surface of the chicken skin, and allow the oil to penetrate all over the skin.
- Place in a preheated oven (fan-forced) at 200°C and roast for 30-35 minutes.Tip: About halfway through, turn the roasting pan 180° to adjust for uneven browning.
- While the chicken is roasting, prepare the vegetables: Toss the chopped tomatoes and sliced red onion with the chopped coriander leaves in the bowl (the same bowl containing the chopped coriander leaves you chopped earlier). Tip: The red onions are best soaked in water for 5 minutes to make them mildly pungent and crispy.
- When the chicken is nicely browned, remove from the oven, and place on a chopping board.Tip: Place a sheet of kitchen paper under the chopping board to prevent the juices from overflowing when the chicken is cut.
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise, then cut diagonally into breast and thigh parts.
- Plate the chicken, rice, and vegetables, and enjoy!
