This is the second of two recipes intended for our hangi which sadly was rained out. I had intended to marinate the chicken overnight, then wrapping it in banana leaves before placing it into the hangi baskets to spend the day slowly cooking. Whilst the rain quashed these plans I decided to resolutely stick to my guns and cook this recipe in the oven instead. To accompany the chicken I scrubbed a whole lot of dirt-crusted new season’s potatoes and simply placed them on a baking tray to roast, their brown skins wrinkling and pulling away from their waxy yellow interiors.
I think there is a lot of potential to play with this recipe. You could add lemongrass or kaffir lime leaves, coriander or spring onions. You could even add a tablespoon of rice flour to the coating which you rub on the chicken’s skin to give it a crunchy exterior. The salsa verde recipe makes a good half a litre so pack what you don’t use up into sterilised jars and give it away as gifts. Just remember to keep it in the fridge.
