This delicious Cantonese chicken is similar to that served in some of the most famous Chinese restaurants. Ideally, this chicken would be hung in an open area for three days instead of placed in the refrigerator as the recipe below calls for. The results however are quite similar. Try this amazing recipe and let me know what you think in the Chinese food forum. Enjoy!

4 lb whole chicken
4 oz piece of fresh ginger
1 medium orange
3 green onions
2 tbsp five spice powder
5 whole star anise
3 oz ground bean sauce (I used Koon Chun brand)
kitchen twine

Chicken Marinade
3 tablespoons baking soda
4 cups water
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons white vinegar

1. Remove and discard the neck and gizzards from the chicken. These are usually found in bags within the cavity of the chicken. Then rinse the entire chicken under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels, making sure to dry the inside of the cavity as well. Then set it aside.


2. Remove the skin from the ginger and dice it into tiny pieces and set them aside.


3. For this recipe we want to use just the peel of the orange, chopped into small pieces. The easiest way to do this is to peel the orange with a knife, starting at the top and moving in a circle around the orange so that you have one long peel. Then chop this long peel into about ¼ inch pieces and set these pieces aside.


4. Rinse the green onions under cold water. Remove and discard the bases and about an inch off the top of the green stems. Chop the remaining stems into ¼ pieces and set them aside.


5. In a medium bowl, mix together the diced ginger, orange peel, green onion, five spice powder, star anise, and ground bean sauce.


6. Place this mixture inside the cavity and rub it around coating the entire inside.


7. Truss the chicken. Trussing the chicken basically means tying the legs together so that the breast part perks up just a bit. The easiest way to do this is by using a long piece of kitchen twine. First tie the twine around the end of one of the legs leaving about a foot of string on either side. Then wrap the twine around the second leg and pull it tight to the first leg. Wrap the twine around both legs and tie it tightly. Then take both sides of the twine and bring each one of them up, over and around each leg. Flip the chicken over and tie the ends together tightly and cut off the excess twine.


8. In a large bowl mix together the baking soda and water. Place the chicken in the bowl and lightly “bath” it making sure not to get the “bath” water in the cavity. Remove the chicken and let it dry for about 15 minutes.


9. In a small cup or bowl mix together the honey and vinegar. Once the chicken has dried, brush it all over with the honey and vinegar mixture. Save the remaining mixture in a small container


10. Place the chicken in a large container and refrigerate it for 3 days.


11. Place the remaining honey and vinegar mixture in a small container and refrigerate it as well. During the 3 days, brush the chicken with this mixture twice each day.


12. After 3 days, remove the chicken and bake it at 325 degrees for 1 ½ hours, or until the temperature is 165 degrees. Then remove it from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes and carve. Males about 3 servings.