Pot Roasted Coconut Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 long red chilies(Note 1)
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 garlic clove s, crushed
• 1 tbsp coconut oil(or substitute with olive oil)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Black pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
• 3 lb1/1.6 kg whole chicken, preferably organic/free range
• 2 cup s1/500 ml chicken broth/stock(preferably reduced salt)
• 1 lemongrass, white part only, bruised (Note 2)
• 2 kaffir lime leaves(Note 3)
• 14 oz1/400 ml light coconut milk(1 can)
• 0.8 lb1/400 gbaby potatoes, scrubbed clean
• 1 lime
• 2 tsp coconut sugar(or substitute with brown sugar)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 390F/200C.
2. Finely mince ONE red chili (~1 tbsp). Combine chili, ginger, garlic, oil, 1/2 cup cilantro/coriander, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Rinse and pat the chicken dry (inside and out) with paper towels. Starting from the neck end of the chicken, use a teaspoon upside down to loosen the skin from the meat across the surface of the chicken (i.e. not the legs or wings). Just go as far as you can.
4. Spoon the cilantro/mixture between the meat and the skin near neck. Use the spoon to spread it a bit, then to finish it off, use your finger/hands ON the skin to spread the mixture as far and evenly as you can. Doesn't need to be perfect! 🙂
5. Place the chicken stock/broth, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and the whole red chili into a dutch oven or baking tray. (Note 4)
6. Place the chicken in the broth, cover with a lid and roast for 45 minutes. Remove the lid, add the coconut milk and potatoes then roast for a further 30 minutes, or until juices run clear when pierced.
7. Remove the chicken from the broth and cover loosely with foil to rest for 5 minutes.
8. Skim excess fat off the surface of the broth I usually get about 5 tbsp of fat off.
9. Add the juice from the lime, sugar and fish sauce. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add remaining cilantro/coriander.
10. Serve the chicken with the broth in a pouring jug, or cut up the chicken and serve it in the broth.