This chicken has wonderfully crisp skin and moist flavoursome meat.

Remember to immerse it in the marinade 1 1/2 days before you plan to eat it.

 

Yield: 5

Ingredients

• 1 size 16 Rangitikei free range chicken
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking rice wine)
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2cm knob fresh ginger, finely sliced
• 1 star anise
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Method

Place the chicken in large resealable plastic bag within a shallow baking dish and add all other ingredients into the bag with the chicken..  Squeeze any excess air from the bag and massage the liquid in and around the chicken.  Seal the bag and refrigerate for 36 hours, turning at times to ensure that the marinade covers the chicken. Lift the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess. Place the chicken breast side up in the baking dish. Dry the chicken either with a fan or a hair dryer until the skin is leathery looking. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Cook the chicken in the lower part of the oven for 90 minutes, until thigh juices run clear when pierced with a skewer. Cover any areas that colour too quickly with foil to prevent them from burning. Serve with steamed rice and fresh greens.