This is my submission for Hive Top Chef competition | Oven meal : created by @qurator
Today, I prepared a menu for dinner, and one of the dishes is herb-baked chicken. I chose to use the mid-wing part of the chicken because the piece size is just right. It's perfect for baking as the skin helps keep the texture from drying out too much. It takes only 20 minutes to bake until cooked through, it's easy to eat, and my children love this part the most.
Oven-Roasted Chicken Mid-Wings with Herbs is a fragrant, mildly spicy, savoury, and deeply flavorful dish. The balance between juiciness and slight crispiness makes it suitable for all occasions, from a casual snack to a family dinner.
Recipe and cooking instructions
Ingredients
- Chicken mid-wings: 10 pieces
- Black peppercorns: 1 tablespoon
- Coriander root: 1 root
- Garlic: 10 grams
- Shallots: 10 grams
- Lemongrass: 2 stalks
- Oyster sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Light soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Seasoning powder: 1 tablespoon
- Palm sugar: 1 tablespoon
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- I'll start by preparing the chicken mid-wings. I wash them with water mixed with a little salt to remove any gaminess, then rinse them twice with clean water and let them drain in a colander.
Next, I prepare the five types of herbs I'm using
- Black peppercorns: Rinsed with water and patted dry.
- Coriander root: Washed, focusing on the base and root where soil can cling, patted dry, and then sliced.
- Shallots and Garlic: Peeled, washed, and patted dry.
- Lemongrass: The whole stalk is washed, patted dry, and then finely sliced.
- Now, I'll pound all the prepared herbs in a stone mortar to a medium-coarse texture, like this. You can pound them into a finer paste if you prefer. The combined herbs smell incredibly fragrant; I wish you could all smell this!
- Next is marinating the chicken. I'll mix all the ingredients you see here in the mixing bowl with the chicken.
- I add the pounded herb mixture, followed by the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, seasoning powder, palm sugar, and a pinch of salt.
- I'll mix everything until well combined. I'll massage the mixture with my hands for a few minutes, then cover the bowl and let it marinate for the flavors to penetrate the meat. This takes 2 hours at room temperature. You could marinate it for longer or even overnight, but you must keep it in the refrigerator.
- Once the marinating time is up, I arrange the chicken on a baking tray, being careful not to overcrowd them. This ensures they cook evenly and come out with a beautiful color.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (360 degrees Fahrenheit) using both top and bottom heat. Using the convection fan is optional. When the oven reaches the desired temperature, put the chicken in. It took me about 20 minutes; they're perfectly cooked now. The amazing smell is coming right through the oven door, everyone!
- Take the tray out of the oven and let the wings rest on a wire rack until they are warm to the touch. And arrange the herb-roasted chicken mid-wings on a serving plate.
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The first thing you'll experience is the incredible aroma from the five pounded herbs. The roasting process intensifies these scents, making them rich and pervasive, which is the standout feature of this dish.
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When eaten without sauce, you can taste the chicken which is mildly spicy, savoury and well-rounded, with a subtle sweetness and a light caramel note that balances the saltiness.
- The texture of the chicken skin is slightly crispy from the roasting, while the inside remains juicy, tender, and falls off the bone easily, thanks to the marination that allows the spices to penetrate deeply.
- This dish is versatile and suits many occasions. It can be a snack or an appetizer, or an excellent main course for a family dinner. Simply enjoy it with hot steamed rice and other side dishes, or pair it with sticky rice and a variety of your favorite fresh vegetables.
- Today, I'm eating it with ketchup is a simple and familiar option. but you can enjoy them with any sauce or dip you like. Thanks for visiting and see you next time.😃