The coconut chicken is more flavoursome and will form a nice crust if left overnight to marinate. Remove the seeds from chilli for a milder taste, or leave them in for a spicy marinade. To serve cut roasted coconut chicken into portions. Serve with steamed rice and vegetables, sprinkled with toasted coconut, chilli and coriander.
Roasted Coconut Chicken Recipe
Serve 4
Ingredients:
2 x 1-1.2kg whole chickens
2 lemongrass stalks, pale section only, chopped
8 garlic cloves, peeled
8cm piece ginger, roughly chopped
3 long red chillies, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
270ml thick coconut cream
3 tbsp coconut or brown sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
Steamed rice & Asian vegetables, to serve
Toasted flaked coconut, chilli, & coriander, to serve
Method:
Wash and pat dry chicken with paper towel. Place on a chopping board, breast-side down. Using kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of backbone and discard. Open out chicken. Turn over. Press down with the heel of your hand to flatten. Using a sharp knife, score breast with a few shallow slits.
Place lemongrass, garlic, ginger, chilli and onion in a small food processor and process until finely chopped. Add vegetable oil to process to a fine paste. Spoon into a large-sized bowl. Stir in coconut cream, coconut sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. Toss chicken through marinade, rubbing in to coat well. Leave to marinate for 6 hours or overnight to allow the flavours to develop.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease 2 roasting pans. Place chicken, breast side up, in pan, spreading over remaining marinade. Cook for 50 minutes or until a golden brown crust forms and chicken is cooked through.
Cut chicken into portions. Serve with steamed rice and vegetables, sprinkled with toasted coconut, chilli and coriander.
Smart Tip:
Chicken is more flavoursome and will form a nice crust if left overnight to marinate. Remove the seeds from chilli for a milder taste, or leave them in for a spicy marinade.
