Prepare a delicious feast for your loved ones with this delectable Lechon Manok recipe that could become the new favorite meal due to how easy it is to prepare. While the cooking time may take at least an hour, the resulting dish will definitely be worth the wait.
Rather than having to spend money to bring home an already cooked bag of lechon manok, create it from scratch in the comfort of your own kitchen. You could prepare it the night before, so all you need to do is reheat it the next morning before you have to leave or you can cook it once you come back home, when you have a bit more time to spare so you can enjoy your meal to the fullest.
Lechon Manok
Ingredients
Dry Rub:
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 sachet Maggi Magic Chicken Cubes
Marinade and Filling:
- 2 stalk lemongrass
- 1 stalk onion leeks
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp. whole black pepper
- 1 pc. star anise
- 4 Tbsps. calamansi juice
- 4 Tbsps. soy sauce
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup annatto oil
Java Rice:
- 2 cups rice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 sachet Maggi Magic Sarap
- 4 cups water
- Season with salt
Cooking Time:
- Cook for (200 °C 1 hour)
Instructions
- Pound the lemon grass, then tie it into a knot. Chop the onion leeks. Crush the garlic. Add it all onto a bowl with whole black pepper, star anise, calamansi juice, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and annatto oil. Mix it the marinade.
- Crumble a Maggi Magic Chicken Cubes and sprinkle black pepper on top of the chicken. Rub it in on both the inside and outside of the chicken.
- Stuff the chicken with the prepared marinade. Pour some of it on the outside of the chicken as well. Leave it to marinate.
- To seal the chicken, twist a strip of aluminum foil into something similar to a rope. Use it to tie the ends of the chicken legs together. Make sure to baste the coat the chicken in more marinade to make it even more flavorful before placing it in the air fryer to cook.
- Cover it with aluminum foil and cook it for 30 minutes on 200°C. When the 30 minutes is done, remove the aluminum foil and start basting it while every now and then while it continues cooking.
- In a pot, add the annatto oil and minced garlic. Stir it together before heating up the oil so you get all that garlicky goodness. Once they are fully combined, add in the butter, rice, turmeric powder, salt, Maggi Magic Sarap, and water. Cover and let it cook.
- Prepare the sauce while waiting for the chicken and rice to cook. Mince the onion and garlic. Chop the red chilies. Dice the cucumber. Add the calamansi juice. Season with salt, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and Maggi Classic Savor Seasoning.
- When the rice is cooked halfway, stir it so the bottom does not burn while making sure the rice is cooked evenly.
- Before the first 30 minutes is done, remove the aluminum foil, brush it with the marinade, and cover it with the aluminum foil again. Continue to cook it.
- When the first 30 minutes is finished, pour the marinade over the chicken and continue to cook it for another 30 minutes, this time without the aluminum to cover it.
- When both the rice and chicken is cooked, arrange it all on a plate. Serve the chicken drippings and sauce on the side. You can also pour a portion of the drippings onto the chicken for more flavor.
Serve it as a mouthwatering part of your family’s daily meal or prepare it for a special celebration that comes once a year, its delectable flavors will coat your taste buds with every spoonful. With this Lechon Manok recipe, you can enjoy every mealtime and celebration with a homecooked meal that will surely be a welcome change from the fast-food dishes ordered outside.
For more simple and easy recipes, grab copies of our Simpol Cookbook collection on Shopee or Lazada. Also available in Fully Booked and National Book Store.
•••