Hoisin chicken with pancakes
Think of crispy duck in a smart Chinese restaurant – this is a take on that. Using a whole roast chicken with Chinese flavours, this recipe is not crispy but tender and fun to make. Rice pancakes can be bought easily in supermarkets or delis.
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, plus extra to serve
- 2 tsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 2 tsp rice or white wine vinegar
- 1 large garlic clove, finely grated
To assemble
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5kg/3lb 5oz)
- 20–30 small Chinese pancakes
- ½ large cucumber, deseeded and thinly sliced into matchsticks
- large bunch spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced into matchsticks
- 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into matchsticks
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Measure all the marinade ingredients into a large dish. Mix well, then add the whole chicken. Using your hands, rub the marinade into the chicken and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1–4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and line a roasting tin with baking paper.
Place the chicken in the prepared tin and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour any excess marinade from the bowl over the chicken. Roast in the oven for about 1–1¼ hours, covering the chicken with kitchen foil after the first 30 minutes, until cooked through. The chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when the thickest part of the leg, between the drumstick and the thigh, is pierced with a skewer. Expect the skin to be very dark brown, almost black, but not burnt. Leave the chicken to rest for 15 minutes, covered in the foil.
Warm the pancakes in a steamer or a microwave according to the packet instructions.
Carve the chicken into slices and shred the leg meat. Arrange the chicken, pancakes and prepared vegetables in the centre of the table with a small bowl of hoisin sauce on the side. Everyone can help themselves!
To serve, spread a little hoisin sauce on a pancake, then place some chicken and vegetables in the centre. Roll up tightly to make a small roll.
Recipe Tips
The chicken can be marinated a day in advance. Chicken freezes well raw and marinated.