Canyon Ranch Health Resorts' Chinese Chicken

Another fabulous recipe adapted from a recipe that 'low-fat cooking guru' Jeanne Jones created for the Canyon Ranch Health Resort. The cooking time below includes 'standing time'. I found this recipe in Prevention Healthy Cooking's 'Eat up Slim down: tried-and-true recipes and tips from real weight-loss winners' by Jane Kirby and David Joachim.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3 -4  lbs chicken
• 1  teaspoon ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 3  spring onions, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 3  garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1  tablespoon plain flour
• 3  tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3  tablespoons honey
• 2  tablespoons dry sherry or 2  tablespoons  apple juice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper

Directions

1. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper kitchen towelling.
2. In a cup, mix the ginger, the Chinese five-spice powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and rub all over the inside of the chicken.
3. Place the spring onions and the garlic in the cavity.
4. Place the flour in a large oven-safe baking bag and shake well to coat the inside of the bag.
5. In a small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, honey, sherry or apple juice, pepper and remaining salt. Rub all over the outside of the chicken, and place the chicken in the bag with any remaining sauce. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Cut 1/2 inch slits in the top of the bag and place it in an ovenproof dish in the oven, making sure that the bag does not overhang the dish.
7. Bake for 1 hour or until the juices run clear.
8. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to stand for 10 minutes. Carefully cut open the bag, remove the chicken and pour the juices into a bowl.
9. Place the bowl in the freezer for a few minutes so that fat can congeal for easy removal.
10. Cut the chicken into serving pieces and serve with the degreased juices.