Other than seasoning a chicken with simply salt & pepper, one can make up almost any type of marinade or even use any of the ready-mixed marinades or seasonings.

The original recipe was made so many years ago using lime juice & lime leaves for cornish hens. Since I didn’t have any limes, lime leaves or cornish hens on hand, I went with what I had in my freezer & fridge.

You can also use the same marinade for spatchcock chicken, chicken parts, chicken wings or drumsticks. I have yet to try it on turkey and pork. Someday, maybe.

Ingredients:

1 chicken (about 1.2kg or 2.5lbs, insides cleaned)

Marinade:

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup Chinese cooking wine (White wine was used in the original recipe but Chinese cooking wine cost less)

1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (lime juice was used in the original recipe)

Ginger, about 8cm (3″)

Method:

• Mix the marinade in a bowl. Grate about 1/3 of the ginger into the marinade.
• Place chicken in a roasting dish and pour the marinade over it as well as in the cavity of the chicken.
• Slice the rest of the ginger, thickly or crushed and place it in the cavity of the chicken.
• Spoon the marinade over the chicken every now and again for at least an hour.
• Roast the chicken in a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes on 200ºC (400ºF) or until the outside of the chicken starts to char.
• Baste the chicken with the marinade every 10 minutes.
• Reduce temperature to 180ºC (375ºF) for another 30-40 minutes.
• Remove from oven, check that the chicken is cooked. Leave to cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
• Pour the rest of the marinade into a saucepan and thicken into a sauce with some cornflour liquid.

Your chicken should look something like this or prettier