If life gives you lemonade, make this saucy six-ingredient chicken dish (yes, really)

Name: If life gives you lemonade, make this saucy six-ingredient chicken dish (yes, really)
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Asian
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; ¼ cup mixed Asian herbs (such as Thai basil, Vietnamese mint, coriander), roughly chopped, to serve; steamed rice, to serve (optional)

Katrina Meynink

October 3, 2024

Filipino-inspired lemongrass and Sprite sticky chicken.Katrina Meynink

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:4-6

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
¼ cup mixed Asian herbs (such as Thai basil, Vietnamese mint, coriander), roughly chopped, to serve
steamed rice, to serve (optional)

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven to 175C fan-forced (195C conventional).
Step 2
Add the garlic and lemongrass to a small bowl, and using the back of a spoon, mash into a paste.
Step 3
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.
Step 4
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.
Step 5
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.
Step 6
Add the oyster sauce and lemonade to a jug and whisk with a fork to combine. Pour into the pan around the chicken and pop in the oven for 1 hour.
Step 7
Carefully remove and place the frypan over low heat on your stovetop. Cook until the sauce thickens and reduces − this should take about 5 minutes. Don’t forget that handle will still be hot!
Step 8
Scatter over the Asian herbs and serve with rice. Spoon over any extra sauce – it is heaven!