Baked Chicken With Korean Citron Tea

Baked Chicken With Korean Citron Tea is another Quick and Easy Meal to prepare for working mum either during the weekday or weekends. You can choose to roast either one whole chicken or different parts of the chicken and the cooking time and ingredients used may varies.


For today's dish the main ingredient is this Korean Citron Tea which can be bought in most Korean Supermarket or certain Chinese Medical Hall. It contains certain peels in it which is neither Pomelo nor Orange. It is actually called "Yuzu" 유자 (yuja) in Korean which is a citrus fruit native to East Asia. It is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda.

It has four times more Vitamin C than oranges and is good for your skin. Traditionally served hot during winter or cold climate, it’s also a herbal remedy for the common cold and sore throat. (you can read more about this at this link)

In order to cut short the baking time using my mini Bread Toaster (instead of my build in oven), I actually pan-fry the marinated chicken till the skin is slightly golden in colour then add in the baby carrots and left over marinating sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes before baking.

Since I wanted to serve it in a more western dish style, I add in a few slices of baked butter herbal toast and french fries. I put everything together in the oven toaster in order to save time. This is really a very fragrant and hand licking dish because of the Citron taste and fragrant. And the Baby Carrots taste even better when absorbing all the juice from the marinate and chicken.......

Ingredients: (serve 1)
1 Chicken Leg, trim the fat
2 1/2 Tablespoons Of Korean Citron Tea
3 Garlics Cloves, cut into slices
8 Baby Carrot
2 - 3 Slices Of Baguette
Handful of Fries

Methods:
1. Wash, trim and pat dry the chicken leg, lift up the skin and use a sharp knife to cut a two slit of 1" cutting on both side of the meat and stuff in some of the Citron Tea paste.
2. In a small zip lockbag, place the chicken, garlic slices and remaining citron tea paste and marinate it in the fridge for at least an hour or more.
3. Remove the chicken from the fridge at least 5 minutes before baking.
4. Preheat a nonstick pan or saucepan with 1/2 tablespoon of Olive oil and saute the chicken(skin side down) and baby carrot for a 1 minute in medium heat then turn and sealed the other of the chicken as well.
5. Next add in the remaining marinating sauce from the bag into the pan and cover the chicken and simmer for about 3 - 5 minutes (turning twice, this is to let the chicken cook through faster and also to make the carrot soften).
6. Place the chicken and carrot in a baking dish and place it in the Toaster Oven for about 15 minutes, turning at least twice or more to make the meat cook evenly through.
7. While placing the chicken in the Oven, you can cut and spread the Baguette with butter and herbs then place it on the side of the baking dish to toast it till crispy.
8. Remove then replace it with the French Fries.
9. Serve the chicken hot with the extra gravy of the citron peels and garlic which will make the chicken taste even better.

Notes:
a) If you want to use a whole chicken (around 1.2 - 1.5kg) you will need at least 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the citron tea mixture.
b) If you do not wish to pan-fry the chicken 1st, you can put everything into the preheat 180 degree oven and baked for about 30 minutes or so until the chicken is cook through.
c) You can use normal carrot or potato that is cut into big cubes to replace the baby carrot.