This Asian-inspired whole roasted chicken is spicy, succulent and bursting with flavors; the perfect centerpiece for a small family's Thanksgiving & Holiday meal.
You will need:
Whole chicken - 3-3.5 lbs
Gochujang sauce - 2 tbsp (see Notes)
Spicy chili sauce - 2 tbsp (see Notes)
Soy sauce - 2 tsp
Oyster sauce - 1 tsp
Rice vinegar - 2 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Garlic - 3-4 cloves, minced
Cilantro - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Lime - 1
Sesame oil - for basting
Red onion - 1 large, cut into thick rounds
Root vegetables - as needed, optional (see Notes)
How to:
Pre-heat oven to 400 deg.F.
Clean and remove the innards of the chicken. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.
In a small bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients except oil, onion and vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Rub this marinade all over the chicken, taking care to get it under the skin as well.
Stuff the chicken cavity with the lime rinds and a few slices of onion. Tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine.
Line the bottom of a large roasting pan with more onion slices and roughly chopped root vegetables too. Place the chicken on this bed of vegetables, breast side up.
Bake for 60-70 minutes (around 20 minutes per pound) or till juices run clear when poked at the thickest part of the thigh. Keep basting the chicken with sesame oil or chicken juices every 20 minutes. You can also brush leftover marinade on the chicken.
Once chicken is done, remove from oven and rest for at least half an hour. Carve the chicken and serve.
Notes:
1. Gochujang sauce is a fiery, smoky Korean chili sauce. Commercially sold gochujang sauce in the US sometimes has too much sugar than usual. So I used extra chili sauce as mentioned here. Any Chinese or Thai style chili sauce can be used along with it. If you are using authentic (extra hot) gochujang, feel free to add 1-2 tbsp brown sugar to the marinade. 2. Roasting chicken over a bed of onions and root vegetables like potatoes and carrots gives you an effortless and flavorful side dish.
Recipe by At The Corner of Happy And Harried at https://www.happyandharried.com/2017/11/15/asian-whole-roasted-chicken/