CHICKEN - Roast Herbal Emperor Chicken 烘烤药材皇帝鸡

By Aemelia

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• 1 Chicken, cleaned
• 500 ml Water
• Salt to taste
• Assorted Herbs in approximate weight:
• 24 g Huai Shan 淮山 (Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae)
• 18 g Dang Shen 党参 (Codonopsis Pilosulae)
• 16 g Yu Zhu 玉竹 (Solomon's Seal Rhizome)
• 22 g Long Yan Gan 龙眼干 (Dried Longan)
• 10 g Gou Qi Zi 枸杞子 (Wolfberries)
• 6 Hong Zao 红枣 (Red Dates)
• 3 g Chuan Gong 川芎 (Szechwan Lovage Rhizome)
• 5 g Tang Gui 当归 (Angelica Sinensis)
• 15 g Bei Qi 北芪 (Astragalus Membranaceus)

Details

Adapted from wokkingmum.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

How to do it:

Place herbs in a oven-proof casserole and add water.
Place chicken, breast side down, on top
Place casserole on a stove and bring to a boil over medium-high fire.
Remove from stove, cover with lid for 5 to 10 minutes so the herbs can softened.
Carefully remove the chicken and stuff some herbs in the cavity.
Return the chicken to the casserole and cover the lid.
Roast in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at180C
Check for doneness; juices would run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a metal skewer.
Remove the lid, season with salt.
Baste the chicken with the soup sauce and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes to brown the skin.
Carve chicken or serve as whole.


Alternative Steaming Method:

Steam all herbs with water for 5 minutes.
Place chicken on a aluminum foil.
Stuff some herbs in chicken and scatter the rest around the chicken.
Pour the water used together with the herbs for steaming inside.
Wrap and seal the foil.
Place on a dish and steam for at least 2 hours.
Add salt to taste and serve.


Note:

Remember to keep checking the water level if you are using the steaming method.
Keep a kettle of hot water ready; to add in if the water level is low.
DO NOT add cold water.