Not a new recipe by any means, but one I make on repeat, whether it’s for a midweek dinner or a casual get-together with friends …
This dish is loosely inspired by Hainanese chicken, which is poached chicken, rice and broth with a spring onion and ginger oil that’s pure comfort. Here, it’s all about an easy traybake with big flavour.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
• 1-2 bunches spring onions (around 10), halved lengthwise, then quartered
• 6 chicken legs (skin-on, bone-in)
• 3 tbsps neutral oil
• 4 cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 heaped tbsp sesame seeds
• 1-2 limes, zest and juice
• A handful of coriander leaves
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• Salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Arrange the spring onions in a low-sided baking tray. Place the chicken legs on top, so the spring onions soften and roast in the chicken fat. Season the chicken with salt and drizzle everything with oil. Roast for 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and about 50ml of water.
4. Remove the tray from the oven; the chicken should have started to turn golden, and the spring onions should be softened and caramelised in places. Pour the ginger and garlic mixture around the chicken and sprinkle sesame seeds onto each chicken leg. Return to the oven for 20 more minutes. You want there to be some juices in the bottom of the tray, so top up with a little more water if it’s all evaporated.
5. While the chicken finishes cooking, mix the chopped cucumber with the coriander, a pinch of salt, and lime zest and juice.
6. Serve the chicken with jasmine or short-grain white rice (sushi rice) and cucumber salad. Spoon the juices over the chicken and rice – my favourite part!