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Prep time
24 hours 30 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour 15 minutes
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Serves
3 to 4
Author Notes
When I was growing up, my family never used the oven. The oven mostly served as a glorified pot holder—its real function a complete mystery to me and my grandma. It wasn’t until we watched Ina Garten pull a golden-brown roast chicken out of her 'pot holder' that we understood an oven’s true purpose. Watching Ina’s Food Network show Barefoot Contessa became our ritual. Her otherworldly cooking in the fairy-tale setting of the Hamptons was a fantasy my grandma and I could bond over. This recipe invokes yet another fantasy—a world where Ina Garten and my grandma get to cook together. A whole roasted chicken stuffed with aromatics absorbs my grandma’s flavors of chili crisp, scallion, and ginger through a rich glaze poured over its crisp skin. —Reprinted with permission from First Generation: Recipes from My Taiwanese-American Home by Frankie Gaw. Text and photography by Franklin Gaw Copyright 2022. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. —Food52
Ingredients
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Chicken
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2 tablespoons
kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
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1
(4 to 5lb) chicken
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14
scallions, with ends trimmed
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1 tablespoon
ground ginger
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1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
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4 teaspoons
rice vinegar or fresh lemon juice
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2 cups
water
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1
head garlic, halved
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1
thumb-sized slice fresh ginger
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2 tablespoons
unsalted butter
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Sauce
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4 tablespoons
unsalted butter
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2 tablespoons
apple cider vinegar
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1/4 cup
plus 1 tablespoon honey
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3 tablespoons
soy sauce
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1 tablespoon
chili crisp
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1 1/2 teaspoons
fresh chopped rosemary (from 1 sprig)
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Toppings
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Scallions, chopped
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Cilantro, chopped
Directions
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Brine the chicken: Very generously sprinkle kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon per pound) on the whole chicken from front to back and inside the cavity. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. While the chicken rests, place 10 of the scallions, the 2 tablespoons salt, ground ginger, sugar, rice vinegar, and water in a blender and blend until smooth. Once the chicken is ready, place in a gallon-size zip-top bag. Pour the blended scallion brine into the bag and seal. Refrigerate for 24 hours, flipping it around the halfway mark so the chicken brines evenly.
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Stuff the chicken: The next day, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and gently wipe off the excess brine. Tuck the garlic, fresh ginger, and remaining 4 scallions into the cavity.
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Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet, breast side up. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter and brush an even layer all over the chicken. Roast at 425°F for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400°F and roast for another 35 to 40 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165°F or the juices run clear.
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Make the sauce: While the chicken roasts, in a small pot over medium heat, melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Add the vinegar, honey, soy sauce, chili crisp, and rosemary, and stir until incorporated and smooth. Bring to a simmer, then pour into a container and set aside.
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Carve and serve the chicken: When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven, cover it with foil, and let rest 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and carve into breasts (slice breasts into 4 or 5 pieces for easier sharing), thighs, drumsticks, and wings, and place onto a platter. Pour the sauce over the chicken and top with scallions and cilantro to serve.
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