Thai Lime Roast Chicken

Roasted chicken legs

The Picture Pantry / Ivan Danik / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This Thai recipe for lime roast chicken is super-delicious. With crispy skin and tender meat beneath, you'll love the sweet lime flavor of this roast chicken, which makes a perfect meal to serve for any social gathering, as well as for everyday meals. Add as much or as little chili as you like—the lime sauce will still taste just as sweet! 

Ingredients

  • 1 (4-pound/2-kilogram) chicken, medium-sized, thawed if using frozen

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock

For Lime Marinade Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup lime juice

  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar, or regular white or apple cider vinegar

  • 1/3 cup fish sauce

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed

  • 7 to 8 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tablespoon bottled pureed garlic

  • 1 to 2 fresh red chiles, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried cayenne pepper

  • 3 green onions, sliced

  • 4 lime wedges

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Empty cavity of the chicken, rinse and pat dry. Place chicken in a deep roasting pan or casserole dish with a lid, or foil for cover.

  3. Place marinade/sauce ingredients in a saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until it reaches a light boil and sugar dissolves. Reduce to a minimum, stirring occasionally for several minutes, until sauce thickens slightly.

  4. Pour 1/3 of this sauce over chicken. Thoroughly coat the chicken by spooning it over. Reserve remaining sauce for later. Add 1/4 cup stock to the bottom of the roasting pan, then cover and place chicken in the oven for 1 hour.

  5. Remove from oven and use a ladle to spoon juices from the bottom of the pan over the chicken. Cover and return to the oven 1 more hour.

  6. Remove from oven and spoon 2 to 3 more tablespoons of the lime marinade/sauce you reserved earlier over chicken (the sauce may have become thick by this time, almost like a syrup; this is fine—it will "melt" when it touches the hot flesh of the chicken. There should still be moisture (juices) in the bottom of the roasting pan - if not, add 1/4 cup more stock. Cover and roast until the inner flesh is well cooked (30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how large of a chicken you're roasting).

  7. Finally, uncover the chicken and return to oven 15 minutes, until the skin has turned golden-brown.

  8. Using a ladle, scoop out 1/3 cup of the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan and add to the reserved lime sauce. Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sauce is warm. Taste-test it, adding a little more sugar, if desired, or a little more fish sauce if not salty enough. Add more fresh minced chili or cayenne pepper if more spice is desired.

  9. To serve, either place the whole chicken on a platter and pour the sauce over or serve it on the side. OR place chicken on a chopping board, and chop it into pieces (as shown). Place the pieces on a serving platter. Pour sauce over, then top with sliced spring onions.

  10. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

  • When roasting chicken, always check to make sure there is some liquid in the bottom of the pan (a little water or stock can be added as needed). This will ensure a more tender roast.
  • To test if chicken is done: Slip a knife into several of the thickest parts of the chicken (the drumstick, or just under the drumstick are good places). If the meat near the bone is white and the juices run clear, it is done. If you see red meat and/or red juices, the chicken requires another 15 to 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
769 Calories
40g Fat
26g Carbs
75g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 769
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g 51%
Saturated Fat 11g 56%
Cholesterol 285mg 95%
Sodium 1495mg 65%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 75g
Vitamin C 34mg 169%
Calcium 95mg 7%
Iron 6mg 32%
Potassium 844mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)