Pot Roasted Coconut Chicken

Method11 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Scrub the baby potatoes, prepare the herbs and aromatics, and choose a Dutch oven or covered roasting dish large enough for the chicken and broth.

2. 2

   Step 2: Finely mince one of the red chilies, roughly 1 tbsp minced. Mix it with the ginger (1 tsp), garlic (2), tablespoon coconut oil (1 tbsp), ½ cup cilantro, salt (½ tsp) and black pepper in a small bowl. Reserve the second chili whole and the remaining ½ cup cilantro for later steps.

   Uses 1 of the 2 red chilies, minced; roughly 1 tbsp · 1 tsp freshly grated ginger · 2 garlic cloves, crushed · 1 tbsp coconut oil · ½ cup chopped cilantro for the under-skin mixture · ½ tsp salt · Black pepper, to season

3. 3

   Step 3: Pat the chicken (1.6 kg) dry inside and out with paper towels, without rinsing it. Starting from the neck end, gently slide an upside-down teaspoon between the skin and breast meat to loosen the skin as far as it will comfortably reach, leaving the legs and wings alone.

   Uses 1.6 kg whole chicken

4. 4

   Step 4: Spoon all the chili-herb mixture from step 2 under the loosened skin of the chicken from step 3. Spread it with the spoon, then gently press over the outside of the skin with your fingers to distribute it evenly without tearing.

   Uses whole chicken with loosened breast skin · All mixed chili-herb paste, leaving the separate whole chili and cilantro reserves for later

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Put the chicken broth, bruised lemongrass (1), lime leaves and remaining whole red chili into the Dutch oven or roasting dish. If the lid or covering foil would touch the top of the chicken, lightly spray that skin with the optional oil spray before covering in the next step.

   Uses 500 ml reduced-salt chicken broth · 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer layers removed, white and pale-green part bruised · 2 kaffir lime leaves · Remaining 1 whole red chili for the broth · Oil spray, only if the lid or covering foil would touch the chicken skin

6. 6

   Step 6: Place the herb-stuffed chicken from step 4 in the broth mixture from step 5, cover the dish and roast for 45 minutes.

   Uncover chicken and add potatoes · 45 minUses whole chicken with chili-herb mixture under the skin · complete broth, lemongrass, lime leaves and whole chili

7. 7

   Step 7: Remove the cover from the chicken and broth in step 6. Add all the light coconut milk (400 ml) and baby potatoes (400 g), then roast uncovered for about 30 minutes. Check that the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches 74°C in the thickest breast, inner thigh and wing areas without touching bone; continue roasting as needed to those endpoints.

   Check uncovered chicken and potatoes · 30 minUses complete covered-roasted chicken and fragrant broth · 400 ml light coconut milk · 400 g baby potatoes, scrubbed clean

8. 8

   Step 8: Lift the fully cooked chicken from the preceding roasting step onto a clean plate and cover loosely with foil. Rest it for five minutes while finishing the broth left in the roasting dish.

   Finish chicken rest · 5 minUses whole cooked chicken lifted out of the broth

9. 9

   Step 9: Skim excess fat from the surface of the broth left in the roasting dish after step 8, keeping the potatoes in the broth. Discard the skimmed fat; the amount varies with the chicken. Remove the tough lemongrass and lime leaves before serving.

   Uses broth, potatoes and aromatics remaining after the chicken is lifted out

10. 10

    Step 10: Add the juice of the lime (1), coconut sugar (2 tsp) and fish sauce (1 tbsp) to the skimmed broth and potatoes from step 9. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add the remaining ½ cup chopped cilantro.

    Uses skimmed broth and potatoes remaining after discarded fat and tough aromatics are removed · 1 lime, juice for the broth · 2 tsp coconut sugar · 1 tbsp fish sauce · Remaining ½ cup chopped cilantro to finish the broth

11. 11

    Step 11: After the five-minute rest, carve the chicken from step 8. Serve it with the potatoes and finished coconut broth from step 10, pouring the broth alongside or over the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers.

    Uses whole rested chicken lifted onto the clean plate · finished coconut broth and potatoes