Korean Style Roast Chicken

This dish is on high rotation for the Best family kitchen. It is a very easy one pot dish that is just as delicious cold as hot. The hero here is the Korean Chilli Flakes [Gochugaru] They are mild like paprika and give a warmth and delicious red hue to the dish. Instead of this I also like to use Chinese hot fermented bean paste (豆瓣酱, dòu bàn jiàng) . It is thick and dark reddish in colour and has a lovely fermented savoury, salty flavour. Either way it is delicious and subtly different.

Serves 4

• 1 x 1.2 kg Free Range Chicken 

• 1 head of garlic 

• 1 knob [50 gms] fresh ginger 

• 50 ml Sesame Oil 

• 1 tsp Szechuan Pepper 

• 2 tsp Korean Chilli Flakes [Gochugaru]

• 2 tsp flaked sea salt 

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

1. Preheat a heavy casserole dish to 190c in a fan forced Oven

2. Remove the back bone of the chicken using a pair of kitchen scissors

3. remove both legs

4. trim away the rib section. 

5. remove the wings by cutting through the shoulder joint

6. Separate the breasts by cutting down the centre of the breast 

7. coarsely grate the head of garlic  and ginger [no need to remove the skin] using a box grater into a large dish

8. add the salt, sesame oil, Szechuan, black pepper and chilli flakes

9. Add the chicken and coat evenly

10. Marinade for 1-2 hours if time permits

11. Add the chicken, skin side up, spacing it out evenly so that the pieces don’t touch

12. Put back into the oven and roast for 45-50 minutes until the skin is golden.