Hoisin Roast Chicken

Hoisin Roast Chicken
From The New American Cooking

This dish gives "roast chicken" a whole new meaning

Prep time: 5 minutes
Roasting time: 90 minutes or until juices run clear

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 chicken (4 ½ lb/2kg)
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large cloves garlic, mashed
2 tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped
3-4 tbsp hoisin sauce (I think I added a little more during the roasting)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C

2. Prepare the chicken – remove all excess fat and pin feathers and rinse under cold water. Pat dry.

3. Season the chicken inside and out with salt & pepper. Rub the chicken & cavity with half the mashed garlic and add the rest of the garlic and all the cilantro in the cavity.

4. Smear the hoisin sauce all over the chicken, truss (actually I just tie the drumstick ends together. The ends of the wings are just tucked under) and place on a rack in a roasting pan just large enough for the chicken (my rack was too big, so I just placed the chicken directly in the pan – worked fine)

5. Roast, breast side up for 45 minutes – it will be a gorgeous mahogany color. I used a pastry brush and added a little more hoisin and some olive oil to baste once. Turn the chicken breast down and continue to roast for another 30 minutes, basting once or twice. Turn the chicken breast side up for the last few minutes. Check for doneness (poke to see if juices run clear, or…much more accurate measure…use an oven meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast but do NOT touch bone. It should read 175°F/80°C

4. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

An excellent side is greens (baby bok choy, spinach, …) stir fried with some garlic and oyster sauce. Garlicky Rice would be yummy too.