Every week, the minis go out to eat dinner with their Lolo Riz. There are only two restaurants they pick: it’s either Shakey’s or Max’s. Unfortunately, due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine, we haven’t been able to go out for our weekly dinners with their Lolo and most restaurants are still closed. So, we decided to cook one of their favorite dishes: Fried Spring Chicken.
We learned this delicious recipe from one of my husband’s crew in San Mateo Fire Station. We used to think his job as a firefighter is such a hassle because he gets assigned in different stations around the country. However, we later realized to make the most out of each town and city we call “home”. Aside from seeing the beautiful sights in the Philippines, we also indulge in the rich local cuisine. We also take the time to learn the recipe specialties of each station. If you don’t know, firefighters are pretty good cooks!
Fried Spring Chicken Recipe
I honestly thought Fried Spring Chicken is complicated to prepare and cook. For someone who isn’t very good in the kitchen, this is actually easy to make!
What I love about this Easy Fried Spring Chicken Recipe is that it makes use of ingredients that are likely already available in your pantry. To make this, all you need are the following:
- A whole chicken
- Lemongrass (to stuff the chicken)
- Ginger
- Ground Black Pepper
- Fish Sauce
- 2x Knorr Chicken Cubes
- Garlic
- Lots of cooking oil!
First things first, wash your chicken thoroughly. Then, stuff your whole chicken with lemongrass. Set aside.
Fill a deep pot with water. Add your fish sauce (start with 1/4 cup then add according to the level of saltiness you’d like), Knorr cubes, black pepper, and ginger. Get it to boil, then place your stuffed chicken inside. Let it boil for 15 minutes. (Important: Get the mixture to boil first before you place your chicken inside!)
After 15 minutes, take your chicken out and place in a strainer. You want to dry that chicken up before we go to the next step. While you wait for it to drain and dry, prepare another deep pot. This time, fill it up with cooking oil. Make sure your pot is deep enough to deep fry your whole chicken ha! Add some crushed garlic pieces to your pot and heat it up.
Once your chicken is dry and the oil is boiling hot, place your whole chicken inside. Turn it around every now and then to make sure the whole chicken is cooking evenly. When the skin turns golden brown and crispy, you know it’s done!
Serve it on a platter with kamote fries or, better yet, serve it with steamed rice with banana ketchup on the side. This is so good, you guys! The minis ate a whole chicken in one sitting. It’s a good thing we cooked two. 😀
What’s your favorite restaurant dish that you’d like to make at home?