Are you bored of the same old roast? Tired of its flavors? Looking for a change? You don’t need to look too far – this Thai-inspired roast with fish sauce generally produces a pungent smell that most people dislike, but when roasted – it produces a full bodied flavor and beautiful caramelized finish to the poultry.
By Josephine Chan
I love roasting. It’s easy, nutritious while keeping the meat juicy and tender without overcooking it. 
Who would have thought that fish sauce actually tastes really good with a roast – especially with that unforgettable pungent smell. I was initially skeptical about using fish sauce so generously in the dish. Commonly used in Asian cooking – fish sauce is extracted from the fermentation of fish with sea salt. Can you imagine just how salty they taste and … the smell … is best described as fishy pungent.
The actual dish however, surprised me. The combination of fish sauce, coriander and the chillies really brought out a full bodied umami flavor to the roast. By following the method closely, I’ve managed to keep the meat moist and tender which I’m very pleased with.
This recipe is adapted from Adam Liaw’s Asian After Work.
PrintThai-inspired Fish Sauce Roast Chicken
- Yield: 3 1x
Description
Don’t just limit your roast chicken to the same old flavors. Explore and try this Thai-inspired roast chicken dish and you will not regret it!
Ingredients
- 3 chicken marylands (the butcher’s term for the thigh and drumstick)
- 1 red onion, peeled and cut
Marinade
- 1/3 cup fish sauce
- 1 bunch coriander (with leaves, stems & root), roughly chopped and leave some for garnish
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
- 2 bird eye chillies, thinly sliced (adjust depending on your taste)
- 1.5 tbsp caster sugar
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C using fan-forced element control. While waiting, mix all the marinade ingredients together, stir well and ensure sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Rinse the marylands and pat dry. Cut out any extra fats if you like.
- Place the cut red onions on a roasting pan and lay the marylands skin-side up, on top of the onions. Spoon the marinade under and over the skin. Make sure that all parts of the maryland has been marinated.
- Roast for 45 minutes, basting every 10-15 minutes. The cooking juices in the meat and marinade are brushed or spooned from the pan onto the meat. Cover the entire surface of the meat with the liquid. Basting helps to keep the meat moist and adds flavour.
- Remove the marylands once it’s time. By now, you will see that the skin is nicely browned and caramelised. The meat is also just cooked through. Rest the marylands in a warm place for at least 10 minutes.
- Prepare the sauce now. Pour the roasting juice from the pan and into a bowl. Leave the onions in the pan. Remove any liquid fat in the roasting juice and return the remaining juice to the roasting pan. Place the pan on medium heat. Stir the roasting juices gently, scraping off any bits stuck to the pan.
- Spoon the sauce and onions over the marylands and serve with fresh coriander leaves.
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian
I appreciate your work for making such wonderful recipe. Sure, I will try it on this valentine day for someone :)