In need of comfort food? This chicken comes from the new Ottolenghi cookbook, Comfort. I’ve been perusing it courtesy of the library online and started with this since most of the ingredients were on hand. It needs time to marinate, and an hour to cook, but the prep is easy. Serves 4:
Chicken Marinated in Coconut Milk
- 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ½ ounce ginger, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 limes juiced to get 7 tablespoons of lime juice
- 5 tablespoons peanut or sunflower oil
- 1 ¾ teaspoon chili powder (less if you’re not a spice fiend)
- 4 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 ounce cilantro, stems and leaves roughly chopped, extra leaves for garnish
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 chicken spatchcocked, or your choice of chicken parts about 2 ½ pounds total
Put all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Place the chicken in a large container or Ziplock bag, add the marinade and make sure the chicken is coated all over. Refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
Place the chicken and half the marinade in a baking pan big enough to hold it comfortably. Roast for 30 minutes, basting once or twice. After 30 minutes, spoon the rest of the marinade over the top and continue to cook for 25-30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the chicken rest for a few minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a serving dish, or carving board. Pour the roasting sauce into a bowl. Sprinkle the cilantro leaves over the chicken. Serve with the sauce and enjoy!
My verdict:
Instead of a whole chicken, I used a mess of thighs, and they were good. The recipe made a lot of marinade, so I’m going to try it on some other meats—maybe pork chops or a pork tenderloin. Rice is a natural side dish, and the sauce makes a good gravy.
I didn’t have any ground coriander so just ran some seeds through the blender, but they never got fine enough, so time to buy some ground.
If you had access to a grill, this might be a winner for your next cookout.
