Name: Shandong Roast Chicken with Black Vinegar Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 whole free-range chicken (about 1.6 kg); ½ tsp salt; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 1 tsp grated ginger (juice only); ¼ cup black vinegar; 2 tsp soy sauce; 2 tsp sugar; 2 bird’s eye chillies; 1 coriander root, stalk and root finely chopped (leaves reserved); 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

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Introduction

Shandong Roast Chicken is a flavorful and tender dish hailing from the Shandong province of China. With a crispy skin and a tangy, spicy sauce, it’s perfect for a special dinner or weekend feast. The overnight marination ensures deep, savory notes throughout the meat.

A glossy roasted whole chicken sits in a white bowl with a blue patterned interior, with the chicken cut into multiple pieces; the skin is golden brown and shiny, sprinkled with white sesame seeds and fresh green herb leaves. The chicken pieces are placed on top of small roasted orange carrots and garnished with green chopped herbs scattered around the bowl. In the background, there are creamy colored mushrooms and more green herbs adding contrast to the arrangement, all placed on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 whole free-range chicken (about 1.6 kg)
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tsp grated ginger (juice only)
¼ cup black vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
2 bird’s eye chillies
1 coriander root, stalk and root finely chopped (leaves reserved)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

Instructions

Step 1: Rub the chicken all over with salt, including the inside, exfoliating the skin to remove any impurities.
Step 2: Pour boiling water over the entire chicken to tighten the skin.
Step 3: Mix together the dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and ginger juice, then rub this mixture all over the chicken.
Step 4: Marinate the chicken uncovered in the fridge overnight. If short on time, use a hairdryer to dry and tighten the skin instead.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
Step 6: Place the chicken on baking paper in a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour.
Step 7: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Step 8: Meanwhile, make the Shandong sauce by combining black vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, bird’s eye chillies, coriander root and stalk, and garlic in a bowl; stir until the sugar dissolves.
Step 9: Add a few spoonfuls of the rendered chicken juices from the roasting pan to the sauce to enrich its flavor.
Step 10: Cut the chicken into serving pieces, pour the Shandong sauce over the top, and garnish with the reserved coriander leaves if desired.

Tips & Variations

Use a hairdryer to dry the chicken skin thoroughly if you don’t have time for an overnight marinade; this helps achieve a crispy skin.
Adjust the number of bird’s eye chillies based on your preferred spice level.
For an aromatic twist, add a few slices of star anise to the marinade.

Storage

Store any leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave to keep the skin slightly crispy and the meat moist. The Shandong sauce can be stored separately and reheated before serving.

How to Serve

A whole roasted chicken with shiny, deep brown, glazed skin sits at the center of a white bowl with a dark patterned inside. The chicken is garnished with fresh green herbs and small white sesame seeds scattered on top. Surrounding the chicken are small, bright orange carrots and whole garlic cloves with a pale creamy color. Pops of green herbs are fresh and crisp, placed around and on top of the dish, adding a lively color contrast. The bowl is placed on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use a different type of vinegar for the sauce?

Black vinegar provides a distinctive tangy flavor that’s key to the dish, but if you don’t have it, you can substitute with balsamic vinegar as a last resort, though the taste will be slightly different.

Is it necessary to marinate the chicken overnight?

Overnight marination enhances the depth of flavor and helps tenderize the chicken, but if pressed for time, drying the skin with a hairdryer after applying the marinade can still produce good results with crispy skin.