Lao Gan Ma Roasted Chicken
Time: ~2 hours (plus marinating time)
Why make up your own marinate when the world has given you Lao Gan Ma…aka delicious spicy, chili, crispy sauce.
This chicken is incredibly easy to make with very little active time, but comes out with super bold flavors and a real moist, yet crispy bird.
It also only uses one pot… if you don’t count the bowls, spoons, cutting boards, sheet trays and knives used.
Ingredients:
Chicken & marinade:
1 whole chicken
1 cup of Lao Gan Ma Sauce
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lemon
1 bulb of garlic cloves (de-shelled)
Veggies:
4 cups assorted chopped vegetables (I used onion, potatoes, carrots, and brussels sprouts)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
Sauce:
3tbs ->1/4 cup honey
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar.
Topping:
1/8 cup Cilantro, ripped/chopped
1/8 cup green onions, chopped
Directions:
1. Rinse of your bird with water and pat dry (make sure to take out any innards inside…found a bag with a neck in mine 🐔).
2. Coat the inside/outside, under the skin, in the cracks, with your Lao Gan Ma Sauce. Really rub it in there.
3. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper for extra measure.
4. Place your marinated bird in a large ziplock bag or Tupperware and allow it to marinate for at least 8 hours in the fridge (I did 30).
5. A few hours before you want to cook your bird, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
6. Cut up all your veggies into ~1/2–1 inch sections and toss in a bowl with oil, salt and pepper, and ~4 garlic cloves (maybe a little more sauce if you like are feeling saucy 😉)
7. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees with your cast iron inside of the oven to pre-heat as well.
8. Add the lemon (cut in half) and the rest of your garlic cloves inside the cavity of the bird. Tie up the thighs with twine.
9. After your pan and oven are sufficiently hot 🔥, CAREFULLY, take the cast iron out of the oven.
10. Add your veggies to the bottom and carefully place your bird on top.
11. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes
12. Lower the temperature to 350 and bake for another 35 minutes
13. Check the temperature of the bird (deep part of the thigh) and when it hits 145–150 degrees, bump up your temp to 450 for 10 minutes (gets it crispy)
14. As soon as your bird is between 155–160, take that pan out of the oven.
15. Place the bird on a cutting board to rest for at least 10 minutes.
16. Carefully strain the juice from your veggies into a small saucepan.
17. Switch the oven to broil and add the veggies back in for 10 minutes (or until crispy)
18. Put the small saucepan of juices over low-medium heat and add the vinegar, honey, lime zest, and lime juice and allow to reduce for 5–10 minutes.
19. Pull the veggies out, stir them around, cut your chicken and place on top of your veggies.
20. Top it all off with your new sauce by pouring it all over your chicken/veggies.
21. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions.
22. Enjoy, and savor in the fact that you barely used any dishes!
*Chef’s Warning: Dogs may be tempted to jump on the island and taste test the carcass while the humans eat.
