TinkerBell
Culinary Explorer
Hey foodies! So, I recently returned from a tropical vacation where I had the most amazing Roasted Coconut Chicken at a beachside restaurant. It was so delicious that I had to recreate it at home, and I'm excited to share the recipe with all of you! 


Ingredients:





- 2 long red chilies
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
- 3 lb /1.6kg whole chicken
- 2 cups / 500 ml chicken broth/stock
- 1 lemongrass , white part only, bruised
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 14 oz /400ml light coconut milk (1 can)
- 0.8 lb / 400g baby potatoes , scrubbed clean
- 1 lime
- 2 tsp coconut sugar (or substitute with brown sugar)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- Preheat oven to 390F/200C.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- Place the chicken stock/broth, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and the whole red chili into a dutch oven or baking tray. (Note 4)
- 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.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and cover loosely with foil to rest for 5 minutes.
- Skim excess fat off the surface of the broth - I usually get about 5 tbsp of fat off.
- Add the juice from the lime, sugar and fish sauce. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add remaining cilantro/coriander.
- Serve the chicken with the broth in a pouring jug, or cut up the chicken and serve it in the broth.

