SRIRACHA ROAST CHICKEN

Ingredients

2.5 kg (5 lb) whole chicken

Marinade:
1/2 cup (125 ml) prepared sriracha sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice (about the juice of one lime)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter, melted
1 Tbsp (15 ml) ginger, minced
1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder
1/4 cup (60 ml) liquid honey

For Lettuce Wraps:
Leaf or butter lettuce
Cucumber, julienned
Green onion, sliced
Fresh cilantro
Prepared hoisin sauce

Preparation

Note: This recipe can also be made with chicken pieces, cooking time is reduced to about 70 minutes. You can garnish cooked chicken with chopped green onions. This chicken is also great cold in sandwiches.

Note: If marinating in fridge, allow chicken to come to room temperature before roasting, about 30 minutes.

In medium sized bowl, whisk together sriracha, soy sauce, lime juice, butter, ginger, garlic powder and honey. Set aside one third of the sriracha mixture for basting.

Pat chicken dry inside and out with paper towels, and place on a rack in a roasting pan lined with foil. Using a basting brush, cover the chicken all over liberally with the sriracha mixture. Let chicken come-up to room temperature for 30 minutes once sauce has been applied to allow flavour to permeate chicken. Or add sriracha mixture and allow to marinate overnight, covered in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Roast chicken uncovered for 1 hour, uncovered on the middle rack in the centre of the oven. Remove from oven, baste with remaining sriracha honey glaze, and return to oven and roast a further 30 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 180F (82C) when inserted into the breast meat. Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes to ensure juicy, moist chicken before slicing.

Slice chicken and serve with lettuce, cucumber, green onions, cilantro and hoisin sauce.

Tip: If parts of the chicken start to brown too quickly, (wings or thighs) cover area with foil.