Richie Castillo's Lechon Manok - Filipino-style roast chicken
SERVES
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
420
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
120
MINUTES
CUISINE
COURSE
Main
Method
Clean the chicken thoroughly, removing innards and excess fat. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen roll.
In a bowl, mix together all the marinade ingredients. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, including inside the cavity. Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or a covered container.
Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight for best results.
Preheat the oven to 190°C Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and stuff with lemongrass, pandan leaves, and crushed garlic.
Truss the chicken with kitchen twine to help it cook evenly. Place the chicken on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 74°C. Rotate the chicken occasionally for even cooking.
In a small bowl, mix together melted butter, soy sauce, honey, and calamansi juice to baste the chicken.
For the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste the chicken with this sauce every 10 minutes. This will give the chicken a flavorful and crispy skin.
When the chicken has reached the safe internal temperature of 74°C, allow it to rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes before carving.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken
240ml soy sauce
120ml calamansi juice (or substitute a mixture of lemon juice and mandarin juice in the ratio 1:2)
60ml fish sauce
60ml oyster sauce
60g brown sugar
1 head garlic, minced
15g peppercorns, mostly crushed but some left whole 2 bay leaves, crushed
For the stuffing:
2 stalks lemongrass, crushed 2 stalks pandan leaves (or use bay leaves as a substitute)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Basting:
120g melted butter
60ml soy sauce
60ml honey
30ml calamansi juice
Method
Clean the chicken thoroughly, removing innards and excess fat. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen roll.
In a bowl, mix together all the marinade ingredients. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, including inside the cavity. Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or a covered container.
Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight for best results.
Preheat the oven to 190°C Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and stuff with lemongrass, pandan leaves, and crushed garlic.
Truss the chicken with kitchen twine to help it cook evenly. Place the chicken on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 74°C. Rotate the chicken occasionally for even cooking.
In a small bowl, mix together melted butter, soy sauce, honey, and calamansi juice to baste the chicken.
For the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste the chicken with this sauce every 10 minutes. This will give the chicken a flavorful and crispy skin.
When the chicken has reached the safe internal temperature of 74°C, allow it to rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes before carving.
