Juicy Roast

Smoked Chicken

This is my easy recipe for

Juicy Roast Smoked Chicken for Christmas and New Year Celebration.

You can make this flavorful dish in 30 minutes without the need of a cumbersome smoker.

Don't have a smoker? No problem! Who needs one, just fake it. I use capon chicken for its tenderness and flavor. For added flavour add garlic powder and herbs.

What is a capon chicken? v

Capon chicken meat are tender, juicy and tastier. Capons are castrated roosters. The male sex hormones normally present are no longer working. Caponization is done before the rooster matures, so that capon develops without the influence of male sex hormones.

Capon meat is more moist, tender and more flavorful than that of a normal rooster or hen. Due to the hormonal differences during the capon's development, capons are not as active as roosters, which makes capon meat more tender and fatty. Capon meat are known to be tender, juicy, flavorful and is well suited for roasting. This is a favorite poultry for French cuisine. More detail about capon chicken can be found in Wikipedia.

Capon chicken are larger than the normal chicken and can be as big as a small turkey weighing up to a kilogram (2.2 lbs.).

The capon chicken used in this recipe is about 1 kg bird.

In Singapore it is available as a fresh bird at Cold Storage Supermarket. In most places western supermarket would have them.

Essentials of this recipe are: v

This is a narrative description rather than the traditional recipe.
This method uses Liquid Smoke instead of a cumbersome smoker. If you don't have a smoker, just fake it. Bet you can't tell the difference.
Uses a 1 kg (2.2 lb.) capone chicken
Chicken is pre-brined with salt and sugar to enhance the flavor and taste of the meat.
The chicken is roasted so that it is fully but just barely cooked.
This is a fusion dish which is why it is essential that the chicken is not over roasted and the use of Chinese hoisin sauce to enhance the flavor of the meat.

What is liquid smoke? V

Liquid smoke really is made from smoke. Chips or sawdust from hardwoods such as hickory or mesquite are burned at high temperatures, and particles of the smoke are collected in condensers. The resulting liquid is concentrated down for a stronger flavor.

Because it contains real smoke, liquid smoke also contains carcinogens. Modern manufacturers reportedly filter most of these out, and it's generally considered safe to use in moderation. Indeed, such is the intensity of its flavor that you should only want to use it in moderation!

The most popular brand is Wright's Liquid Smoke. The Hickory kind is the one that most resemble "wok hei" in Cantonese flaming cooking. It is available in Singapore at Cold Storage Supermarket for S$4.25 for a 100 ml bottle.

Other similar brands can cost up to $50 per bottle. So Wright is good value for money

How I make a Juicy Roasted Smoke Chicken? A narrative description.

I used a 1 kg (2.2 lb) capon chicken. It is important to brine the fresh or thawed chicken first for 2 hours in a pot with 4 litres of water

Add 1 cup of fine table salt (or 1- 1 ½ cups of granular salt)

Add ½ cup of white sugar (could be up to ¾ cup)

Dab dry chicken with paper towel, then separate the skin from the meat around the breast, thigh and wing areas. The recipe for marinade is given below. The liquid smoke is in the marinade. Do not apply marinade to the skin as it will not penetrate the meat. Apply the marinade directly and generously to the meat.

Apply granulated brown sugar directly onto the skin by smearing generously. This will give a crispy brown texture to the skin when roasted. Prior to roasting, sprinkle herbs of tarragon, rosemary and a little garlic powder to give it added aroma.

Preheat oven to 200 C. Roast for 15 mins at 200 C then turn heat off and let it sit for another 15 minutes. Do not overcook the chicken otherwise the chicken loses it flavor and tender texture. Check to be sure chicken is fully cooked by inserting a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. A temperature of 165 F (74 C) and above indicate the chicken is fully cooked and ready to be served. Do not over cook the chicken as it will cause the meat to lose its texture and flavor. Just cooked chicken is the art of good Chinese cooking.

Recipe for Marinade

White wine or Chinese rice wine, two tablespoon. (Wine is optional.)
1 tablespoon of white sugar and 1 tablespoon of soya sauce.
2 tablespoon of Chinese hoisin sauce to give it a tinge of sweet char siu flavor
2 teaspoon of Wright's Hickory liquid smoke
1 teaspoon of cornstarch for texture.

Cooking in an air fryer

Roll each oiled chicken breast in the seasoning and put in your air fryer basket. Cook at 180C for 18-20 mins, turning after 10 mins. To check it is cooked, pierce the chicken with a knife at the thickest part to see if the juices run clear. Or insert a temperature thermometer and it should read 70C

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