Lechon Manok (Pinoy Roast Chicken)

A marinated chicken is stuffed with lemongrass and bay leaves and roasted until juicy in this Lechon Manok recipe from the Philippines.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 319 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 15 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 whole chicken, cleaned and patted dry
• 6 lemongrass stalks, or more to taste
• 0.5 teaspoon brown sugar
• 0.25 cup calamansi juice
• 0.25 cup fish sauce (patis)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 2

Combine onion, garlic, calamansi juice, fish sauce, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar in a bowl to make marinade.

Step 3

Place chicken in a roasting pan. Rub marinade over chicken, including inside the cavity. Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator, about 4 hours. Reserve leftover marinade in the bowl.

Step 4

Trim lemongrass, discarding tough outer stalks. Pound inner stalks with a heavy object until bruised. Place lemongrass and bay leaves inside the chicken cavity.

Step 5

Stir oil into the leftover marinade in the bowl.

Step 6

Roast chicken in the preheated oven, basting with the oil mixture from time to time, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 60 to 90 minutes.

Step 7

Remove chicken from the oven and allow to rest in a warm area for 15 minutes before serving.