What’s Cookin? Chinese 5-Spice Roast Chicken

My girls wanted Chinese food for dinner, so we ordered the rice, noodles and soup from our favorite take-out joint. I had purchased a couple of whole chickens, so rather than ordering an entrée, I used one of the roasters.

We have an Asian market here in Charlotte, so I made a trip to find 5 Spice seasoning. I’ve seen the blend listed in recipes, but never tried it before. Here is what Wikipedia has to say: The formulae are based on the Chinese philosophy of balancing the yin and yang in food. There are many variants. The most common is bajiao (star anise), cloves, cinnamon, huajiao (Sichuan pepper) and ground fennel seeds.Instead of true cinnamon, “Chinese cinnamon” (also known as rougui, the ground bark of the cassia tree, a close relative of true cinnamon which is often sold as cinnamon), may be used. The spices need not be used in equal quantities.

The recipe also called for rock sugar, which I also purchased at the Asian Market. Wikipedia says: Rock candy is often dissolved in tea. It is an important part of the tea culture of East Frisia, where a lump of rock sugar is placed at the bottom of the cup, and Iran, where the sugar is placed in the mouth as unsweetened tea is drunk. It is also used in many nations, such as Hungary.^[3] In China, it is used to sweeten Chrysanthemum tea as well as Cantonese dessert soups and the liquor baijiu. In fact, in some provinces of China, rock sugar or “bing tang”(ice candy) is used in many dishes including meat, fish, chicken and vegetables as well as some fruits.

I found this recipe on About.com, I left out the scallions because my girls don’t eat them.

Oh, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 roasting chicken, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds
• Marinade;
• 2 scallions (spring onions, green onions)
• 1 cup dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons crushed rock sugar, if available, or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 2 – 3 slices ginger (Keys To Saving: Hey, You Can’t Freeze Fresh Ginger, Can You?)

Preparation:

• Clean the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Chop the scallions into thirds, lightly smashing the white sections.
• For the marinade, combine the dark soy sauce, rock sugar or granulated sugar, five-spice powder, ginger and the chopped scallions.
• Place the chicken in a large bag and add half the marinade.

• Reserve the remaining half of the marinade to baste the chicken during cooking.
• Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (preferably all night) turning the bag occasionally so that all the chicken is coated in the marinade.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius, gas mark 8).
• Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Roast for 15 minutes.

• Reduce the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius, gas mark 5).
• Roast the chicken, basting frequently with the reserved marinade, for another hour or until it is cooked. (To check for doneness, pierce the chicken in the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear. If using a meat thermometer, the temperature should read 170 degrees Fahrenheit (76 degrees Celsius) in the thickest part of the thigh.
• Let the roasted chicken sit for 15 minutes before serving.