Chicken Roast for this Easter

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I do not have concrete belief in the existence of god, but I cannot deny that during stressful times, messages like the one above have given me a gentle push in the right direction. A person who believes in a super hero who has abundant love and compassion for you, who watches over you every minute of the day, holds you close especially when the going is tough, will have the strength to face each day with hope and optimism. So, a person who has unwavering faith in god is a very lucky person, isn't he?

For this Easter, I am planning to make chicken roast - a whole chicken marinated with spices and baked in its own juices so that the meat is tender, and the skin is crisp and spicy. There is something immensely satisfying about a whole chicken; my little boy just couldn't seem to wait for it to cook completely. I had to endure gku's frowns and little qya's complaints of "vishakunnu" (not to mention growls from my own stomach) while I hurriedly took some pics. Here is the recipe for you before you start complaining:



You will need:

1 chicken (about 1.2 kg) with skin on
3 tablespoons chili powder
3/4 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon pepper powder
7 cloves garlic
1" piece ginger
1/2 an onion
1 tablespoon curd
1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1 cube chicken taste maker
1/4 cup almonds blanched and skin removed
50 grams butter, cubed and a tablespoon extra
Salt, to taste



Method:

Clean the chicken and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Trim away any excess fat, but keep the skin on for added flavour.

Gently lift the skin a bit taking care not to tear it, and make shallow slits on the flesh with a knife. Squeeze the lemon all over the chicken skin, and also apply some juice on the flesh. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over. Keep in refrigerator.

For the marinade, grind together the remaining ingredients except butter to a smooth paste. Apply all over the chicken, inside out. Let it rest in the refrigerator for atleast two hours.

Grease your baking dish with a tablespoon butter. Keep the butter cubes at different places underneath the chicken skin, and also within the cavity. Place the chicken in the tray.

Bake the chicken at 180C for about 1 hour and 20-30 minutes. Halfway through the cooking, turn the chicken in the tray to ensure uniform cooking. If the skin appears to be drying out, apply the fat drippings in the baking tray over the skin while cooking.

I found that the skin underneath the chicken was soggy because it was submerged in the juices from the chicken. The chicken was well cooked, I didn't think it was a good idea to keep it in the oven for much longer. So, I placed the chicken on a rack and cooked it for a few more minutes till the skin seemed crisp enough.

Carve the chicken and serve with long grained white rice along with the juices from the chicken. I wanted to serve the chicken on a bed of spinach leaves and sliced onions but did not think my family had the patience for it. Anyway, try this out, I am sure you will enjoy it.



Wish you a Happy and Blessed Easter!!!

Other things you could try out this Easter:

Palappam and chicken stew for breakfast or as the first course for lunch/dinner.



Chicken fry as a starter for lunch/dinner.





Chicken biriyani as the main course.





Carrot halwa for a sweet round up.



Enjoy maadi !!!

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