I know. Sprite with chicken. It’s up there with Coke on your Christmas ham BUT you don’t taste the soft drink, it just helps reduce to a sticky, glorious, goodness that is surprisingly not overly sweet.
This simplified version is a six-ingredient ode to the famous Filipino chicken. Note: If you are using jarred lemongrass paste, I suggest adding more as it is slightly duller in flavour than fresh. Ingredients 1 small chicken, butterflied (butterflied weight about 1.
2kg) 4 garlic cloves, grated 4 lemongrass stems, white part only, grated using a Microplane 3 tbsp oyster sauce 500ml Sprite 1⁄4 cup mixed Asian herbs (such as Thai basil, Vietnamese mint, coriander), roughly chopped, to serve steamed rice, to serve (optional) Method Preheat oven to 175C fan-forced (195C conventional). Add the garlic and lemongrass to a small bowl, and using the back of a spoon, mash into a paste. Using your hands, delicately push your fingers under the chicken skin, separating it from the meat.
Push the garlic and lemongrass paste under the skin, and try to distribute as evenly as possible. Add 2 tablespoons of flavourless oil to a large non-stick ovenproof frying pan and place over low heat. Once hot, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for 10 minutes – you want the skin to render and caramelise.
Gently flip the butterflied chicken. Don’t worry if a bit of lemongrass and garlic stuffing escapes, it just adds to the flavour of the sauce. Add the oyster sauce and lemonade to a jug a.
