Thai Pot Roast Chicken

This Thai Pot Roast Chicken from Si King is sure to become a favourite recipe! Serving 4-6 people it contains Thai basil, lemongrass, and lime, simmered in a rich red curry coconut sauce. Top with fresh herbs, chillies, and spring onions for the perfect balance of heat and zest.

4-6

Ingredients

1 chicken
1 Thai basil sprig
a few coriander sprigs
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
2 lime leaves, bruised
a pared piece of lime zest 3 garlic cloves, bruised salt

For the pot

2 tbsp olive oil
8 banana shallots, peeled
4 tbsp Thai red curry paste (shop-bought or see p.266)
200ml coconut milk 200ml chicken stock 1–2 tbsp fish sauce
2 lime leaves, shredded juice of ½ lime

To serve

roughly torn coriander leaves roughly torn Thai basil
3 spring onions, halved and shredded
2 red chillies, finely sliced lime wedges

Method

Print Recipe

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
Sprinkle the inside and outside of the chicken with salt. Stuff with the herbs, lemongrass, lime leaves, lime zest and the garlic.
Heat half the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Add the shallots and sear them until lightly browned all over, then remove and set aside.
Add the rest of the olive oil to the dish with the red curry paste. Stir for a few minutes until the paste has darkened a little and the aroma has strengthened, then add the chicken, breast-side down, and leave to sear for a couple of minutes.
Remove the chicken and set it aside, then add the coconut milk, stock, a tablespoon of the fish sauce, the lime leaves and lime juice to the dish. Stir to make sure the base of the casserole dish is deglazed, then place the chicken back in the dish, this time breast-side up.
Cover the casserole dish and place it in the oven. Leave for 40 minutes, or so, until the chicken is almost cooked through, then remove the lid. Add the seared shallots to the dish, then put it back in the oven for about 20–25 minutes, until the sauce has reduced a little and both the shallots and chicken are tender. You can check the chicken for doneness by inserting a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh – it should reach 72°C. Alternatively, check that the juices run clear when you insert a skewer and that the legs feel loose.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven. Taste the sauce and add more fish sauce if necessary. Leave the chicken to rest for 10 minutes, then serve garnished with the herbs, spring onions, chillies and the lime wedges on the side. This is good with rice or perhaps some noodles with some fresh root ginger stirred through them.

Ingredients

1 chicken
1 Thai basil sprig
a few coriander sprigs
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
2 lime leaves, bruised
a pared piece of lime zest 3 garlic cloves, bruised salt

For the pot

2 tbsp olive oil
8 banana shallots, peeled
4 tbsp Thai red curry paste (shop-bought or see p.266)
200ml coconut milk 200ml chicken stock 1–2 tbsp fish sauce
2 lime leaves, shredded juice of ½ lime

To serve

roughly torn coriander leaves roughly torn Thai basil
3 spring onions, halved and shredded
2 red chillies, finely sliced lime wedges

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
Sprinkle the inside and outside of the chicken with salt. Stuff with the herbs, lemongrass, lime leaves, lime zest and the garlic.
Heat half the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Add the shallots and sear them until lightly browned all over, then remove and set aside.
Add the rest of the olive oil to the dish with the red curry paste. Stir for a few minutes until the paste has darkened a little and the aroma has strengthened, then add the chicken, breast-side down, and leave to sear for a couple of minutes.
Remove the chicken and set it aside, then add the coconut milk, stock, a tablespoon of the fish sauce, the lime leaves and lime juice to the dish. Stir to make sure the base of the casserole dish is deglazed, then place the chicken back in the dish, this time breast-side up.
Cover the casserole dish and place it in the oven. Leave for 40 minutes, or so, until the chicken is almost cooked through, then remove the lid. Add the seared shallots to the dish, then put it back in the oven for about 20–25 minutes, until the sauce has reduced a little and both the shallots and chicken are tender. You can check the chicken for doneness by inserting a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh – it should reach 72°C. Alternatively, check that the juices run clear when you insert a skewer and that the legs feel loose.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven. Taste the sauce and add more fish sauce if necessary. Leave the chicken to rest for 10 minutes, then serve garnished with the herbs, spring onions, chillies and the lime wedges on the side. This is good with rice or perhaps some noodles with some fresh root ginger stirred through them.