This gluten free roasted chicken recipe is made with five spice powder, a combination of five spices used predominantly in Chinese cuisine as well as other Asian cooking. Although there are many variations, a typical blend is star anise, cloves, cinnamons, fennel seeds and Sichuan peppercorns. Developed in prehistoric China, five spice powder incorporates five tastes including sweet, bitter, spicy, sour, and salty. Five spice powder can be used as a marinade or spice rub for roasted meats or poultry, in stir-fries and in meat stews.
In this recipe, I have used Chinese five spice powder as a spice rub plus crushed dried chilli flakes for my chicken quarters, giving the chicken a delicious blend of flavours and a hint of heat.
Chilli and Five Spice Roasted Chicken with Asian Cucumber Salad
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 1 Extra large free range whole chicken around 1.6kg
- Steamed rice to serve
For The Marinade:
- 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of gluten free light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons crushed dry chillies flakes
- 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
- ½ teaspoons ground white pepper
For The Salad:
- 1 large oriental cucumber or 3 small Lebanese cucumber peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 large carrot peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 large Truss tomato cut into 1 to 2 cm cubes
- 1 large fresh red chilli finely diced
- 6 tablespoons gluten free rice wine vinegar
- 1 stick or teaspoon Natvia or raw brown sugar
Instructions
- Cut the whole chicken up into quarters, leaving the wings and drumsticks joined to the breasts and thighs. Skin and trim the chicken quarters except the wings part.
Preparing the salad:
- Just mix the ingredients prepared earlier for the salad by combining the cucumber, carrot, Truss tomato and chilli, gluten free rice wine vinegar and Natvia or raw brown sugar in a medium bowl. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
Cooking the chicken:
- Make two diagonal cuts about 1 cm deep across the chicken breasts and thighs. Then, marinade the chicken quarters in a large bowl by combining the extra virgin olive oil, crushed dry chillies flakes and Chinese five spice powder. Cover with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat fan force oven to 180C or 350F. Place chicken quarters in a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake the chicken bone side up for 20 minutes and then turn the chicken quarters around with the meat side up and bake for another 20 minutes or until chicken is well browned and cooked through. Reserve the chilli oil sauce in the baking tray and serve as a dressing for the chicken.
- Serve the chicken with the dressing in step 4, the Asian cucumber salad and steamed rice.
Notes