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1
Start by adding everything but the chicken into a food processor and process until you have a smooth paste.
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2
Rub this paste all over the chicken, inside and out.
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3
Place chicken in a large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, placing this in the refrigerator overnight.
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4
The following day, and before you are ready to roast the chicken, remove it from the refrigerator and let the chicken come to room temperature.
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5
You basically want to take the chill off of the chicken.
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6
Next, get a large, oven proof skillet out and put a wire rack in the bottom of it if you have one.
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7
If you do not have the rack, no big deal.
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8
Even better, if you have a rotisserie for your barbecue, use this and go the grilling route.
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9
I have a pretty great roasted chicken technique, so I went this route.
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Preheat your oven to 450 F.
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Place the chicken into the skillet on top of the rack, and place skillet in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
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12
Do not open the oven.
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After 40 minutes, turn off the oven and keep the chicken in there for 20 minutes.
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14
Traditionally Lechon Manok might be wrapped in some banana leaves, but I did not have any.
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If you have some, wrap the chicken in the leaves, and wrap the entire thing in aluminum foil.
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After the full hour, remove it from the oven, and insert your meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken.
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Let it sit in there for 30 seconds or more.
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The goal is to have your chicken reach 165 F. If it isnt there, bake it just a little bit longer back at 450 F.
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To serve, either present your chicken whole, or carve it and put the carved meat on a platter and present it that way.
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20
The result is nothing but amazing.
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This is unlike most roasted chicken recipes only in the sense that it has this wonderful flavor.
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22
Maybe its the fish sauce, or maybe the ginger, garlic, and lemongrass.
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Whatever it is, this Lechon Manok is a great recipe.
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24
Lechon Manok is commonly served with a liver sauce, but instead, I simply used a blend of soy sauce and garlic chili oil as part of my dipping sauce.