Finger lickin' Chinese chicken:

Occasionally when I have a little free-range bird on hand I'll be thinking roast chicken, but not the usual rosemary and lemon with veg type deal.
Sometimes the little chook calls for a treatment that is a little more pungent, a little more spiced, a little more.. exotic (to me anyway).
This is where the trusty soy sauce comes in handy. It's one of those things that I panic without. What can I say... me and salt- it's a long romance- so here comes the Chinese chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1 x 1kg chicken - washed and patted dry
• 1 Tablespoon seasame oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce - you can vary it up with light & dark combos
• 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 Tablespoon Chinese five spice
• 2 cloves of garlic - finely sliced and a little smashed
• A good slug of shaoxing/Chinese cooking wine
• A healthy grind of fresh cracked pepper
• Fresh or powdered ginger to taste - I like it quite gingery

Method:

Mix all the ingredients except for the chicken in a bowl and make sure they are well combined- no one likes chunks of powdered ginger- whisking is good. Then place the washed chicken in a glass bowl and pour the marinade over. Tip a little into the cavity too and rub it around to get the flavour inside and out. Cover the dish tightly and place it in the fridge for a few hours or until ready to cook.

Thoroughly preheat the oven to 180degC. Place the chicken on a wire rack over a dish of hot water- using boiling water helps to get it up to temp and to keep the oven hot. 

Roast on the middle rack of your oven for about 45mins, basting with left over marinate every 15mins or so.

Turn the chicken and place back in the oven until cooked through, maybe another half an hour, basting as before. Just before you're done, turn the gorgeous chicken right side up again to let it crisp up a little. 

Take it out of the oven and allow the chicken to rest, covered, for ten mins or so. 

Serves with wilted bok choy and steamed lotus root, or any lovely Asian greens that take your fancy. 

Just as easy as a roast chicken, but just a little bit different.