Hainanese Roasted Chicken Style

Recipe 3 / The Basics

Hainanese Roasted Chicken Style

Roasted chicken is the richer, more intense alternative to steamed. The skin caramelises during roasting, the fat renders, and the result is a deeper, more complex flavour profile. It’s a different dish from the steamed version, not a better or worse one. Many people order both at the same meal.

Yield4 servings
Prep Time20 minutes + 4 hours marinating
Cook Time55 minutes
Total Time5 hours 15 minutes (including marinating)
DifficultyIntermediate

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade
  • 1 whole chicken, 1.4 to 1.6 kg
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp five spice powder
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
Glaze (applied during roasting)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Method

  1. 1
    Prepare and marinate
    Pat the chicken completely dry with kitchen paper. Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin. Mix all marinade ingredients together. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, inside the cavity and under the skin of the breast if you can get your fingers under it without tearing. Place in a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better. The longer it marinates, the more the flavour penetrates.
  2. 2
    Bring to room temperature
    Remove the chicken from the fridge one hour before roasting. A cold chicken going into a hot oven produces uneven cooking with a dry breast and undercooked thigh. Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly.
  3. 3
    Preheat and set up
    Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Place a rack in a roasting tin. If you don’t have a rack, crumple foil into a rough support to keep the chicken elevated so the underside also gets heat and the fat can drain.
  4. 4
    First roast
    Place the chicken breast-side up on the rack. Roast for 25 minutes.
  5. 5
    Glaze and continue
    Mix glaze ingredients together. Brush generously all over the chicken. Roast for another 20 minutes.
  6. 6
    Glaze again and finish
    Brush with glaze again. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C and roast for a final 10 minutes. Total roasting time is approximately 55 minutes for a 1.5kg bird. The skin should be deep golden brown and slightly caramelised. Test by piercing the thigh at the thickest point. Juices should run clear.
  7. 7
    Rest and serve
    Rest the chicken on the rack for 15 minutes before carving. Resting is not optional. Cutting immediately sends all the juices onto the board instead of keeping them in the meat. Carve into portions and serve with rice balls, soup, chilli sauce, and ginger-sesame paste.

Cook’s Tips

  • Drying the chicken thoroughly before marinating is critical for crispy skin. If the surface is wet, the marinade doesn’t stick properly and the skin steams instead of crisping.
  • The overnight marinade genuinely makes a difference. Don’t rush this if you can help it.
  • If the skin is browning too fast before the meat is done, tent loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes.
  • The drippings in the bottom of the roasting tin are excellent. Pour them over the carved chicken before serving or use them as the base for a quick pan sauce.
  • For the most authentic result, some cooks hang the chicken to air-dry in the fridge overnight after marinating (on a hook or balanced on a rack uncovered). This dries the skin further and produces a noticeably crispier result.

End of Recipe 3