Recipe: Roasted Asian Chicken with Sticky Rice Stuffing

ROASTED ASIAN CHICKEN WITH STICKY RICE STUFFING

"Don't worry about making another starch to go with this chicken: The stuffing takes its place. Use Chinese rice, glutinous rice or Japanese sushi rice."

1 cup sticky rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, diced
1/2 cup diced jicama or water chestnuts
1 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt
1 (4-pound) chicken, butterflied, breastbone and backbone removed
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

TO PREPARE THE STUFFING:
Rinse rice. Bring 1 cup of water to boil and add in rice. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and remove from heat.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok on medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, jicama, onions and ginger and saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened.

Add rice and stir to combine. Season with soy sauce, sugar and salt to taste. Remove from heat, cool and reserve.

TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Fill chicken with stuffing so that it is plump, reserving any extra to serve on the side. Skewer or sew the back and cavity together so that stuffing does not fall out.

Combine dark soy sauce with remaining tablespoon vegetable oil and rub all over chicken skin. Place chicken on an oiled rack over a roasting pan, breast-side up.

Place in the oven and roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is crisp and juices run clear.

Allow chicken to rest for a few minutes then cut in half and then into pieces. Garnish with lettuce and tomatoes.

Serves
Source: Lucy Waverman, The Globe & Mail, March 6, 2006