Whole Roasted Chicken – Filipino Style Lechon Manok

Although store bought roasted chicken tastes good, is quick to prepare, and available around the grocery store nearby, I still crave for Filipino style roasted chicken. Home made roasted chicken may take multiple steps to prepare but you will be satisfied of the taste that you are looking for. It is juicy in every bite, has a citrusy scent from lemon grass and has a mild tart flavor from the lemon (or calamansi) combined with garlic, shallots, ground black pepper and salt.

Christmas and New Year are the most celebrated holidays in the Philippines where families and friends gather and share home cooked meals. Lechon Manok is one of the specialties in the menu along with the more internationally known Lechon Baboy (roasted whole pig).

Once you start smelling the savory roast chicken at home, on the streets, or at the restaurant you’ll start dreaming about the steamy white rice to pair it with! The aroma of the spices being used is just delightfully irresistible.

Note: In this recipe, I roasted the chicken using a roasting pan with a rack. You may also use the pan without the rack as long as you put more chunks of onion and lemon grass underneath the chicken to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan.

 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hr 45 minutes

Serves: 6 people

 

Ingredients:

      Marinade

• 1 lemon or 6 pcs. calamansi (Philippine Lime) – juiced
• 6 cloves fresh garlic – peeled and finely chopped

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar or white sugar
• 2 stalks of lemon Grass – coarsely chopped

Note:  Cut off the woody top of the stalk and trim away the root end. Remove and discard the dry, papery layer. Now, you’re left with       5 to 6 inches stalk. Refer on the picture below.

• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper

     Stuffing

• 3 medium sized shallots 1 oz. each or red onion- peeled Note: You may want to cut the shallots into chunks depending on the size.
• 10 cloves fresh garlic – crushed and peeled
• 1 whole lemon (optional) – prick the lemon skin using a pointy knife to release the aroma
• 4 stalks lemon grass- bruised and cut Note: To infuse the lemon grass flavor, bruise them by crushing the stalk with the side of a big knife to release the aroma.

Roasting Day

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. annatto powder

 

Instructions:

1. To prepare the marinade, combine the finely chopped garlic, coarsely chopped lemon grass, lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar, and soy sauce in a medium size bowl. Stir and mix well. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, lay the chicken breast up. Using a spoon, separate the skin from the meat. (This process will add crispy texture and will allow the ability to add more spices).

3. Season the chicken with generous amount of salt and pepper including the chicken cavity and under the skin. Add the marinade. Massage the chicken all over. Cover and let it marinade for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

 Note: If you do not have enough time, overnight marinade is fine as well. Flip the position of the chicken when needed.

4. On the roasting day, set the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Prepare the stuffing for the chicken while the oven is preheated.

6. Fill in the chicken cavity of the stuffing prepared. You may add the whole lemon at the end to tightly close the chicken’s cavity. Using the cooking twine, tie the chicken legs securely.

7. Drizzle and rub chicken with oil and annatto powder. Sprinkle salt and pepper.

8. Place the chicken in the roasting pan’s rack for 10 minutes in 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

 Note: Add 1 cup of water in the roasting pan to avoid burning the drippings.

9. Adjust the oven temperature to 375 degree F for another 1 hour and 35-45 minutes. Chicken is finish when the internal temperature is approximately 165 degrees F.

10. When chicken is cooked, cool to your desire temperature then carve. Serve and enjoy!