Baked Soju Basil Chicken

Happy Valor Day! Spending the day with the family at home with just a few options on the freezer to cook since we'll only do market day by tomorrow. So, i've got a whole chicken and was wondering what i can do with it. Thought of doing a home-made baked chicken and browsed through some option from my cook book. I got to a chinese recipe but the recipe needed white wine and green onions... but I dont have them on the shelf! Luckily, I have soju - which might give me a new flavor! and I can make some use of all the basil plants we have here so i got some basil leaves (really fresh - straight from the plant box). If you want to grow your own basil leaves, I just asked my first root of basil from the market - the market guy happily gave me some basil roots when I asked and now I have lots of them here at home! Maybe I can share you some also! So, here's to our BAKED SOJU BASIL CHICKEN! Cheers! ... a perfect dish to celebrate valor day!

Ingredients

1 pc          whole chicken (1.2 - 1.5 kilos)

Seasonings:
3 tbsp      fresh basil leaves (chopped)
3 slices     ginger (minced)
2 tbsp      soju (korean distilled beverage)
1 tbsp      salt
1 tbsp      black peppercons
1 tbsp      olive oil

Procedure:
1.) Clean chicken thoroughly, rinse several times and then wipe/pat it dry. Pierce the thick part of chicken with a fork, such as legs and breast.
2.) Mix together the seasoning (chopped fresh basil leaves, minced ginger, soju, salt, black peppercorns and olive oil)
3.) Rub the seasoning all over the chicken and marinate for 6 hours. Stuff the seasoning into the belly cavity.
4.) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius, place chicken on a tray and cover with foil. Put to oven and bake for 30 mins, then turn the chicken over and bake for another 30 mins. Increase the temperature to 250 degrees celsius and place the chicken with breast side up brushed with some olive oil to color the chicken) and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
5.) Garnish with some fresh basil leaves and Serve!

Cheers and Enjoy! :)


Procedure w/ Photos:

1.) Clean chicken thoroughly, rinse several times and then wipe/pat it dry. Pierce the thick part of chicken with a fork, such as legs and breast.

2.) Mix together the seasoning (chopped fresh basil leaves, minced ginger, soju, salt, black peppercorns and olive oil)

3.) Rub the seasoning all over the chicken and marinate for 6 hours. Stuff the seasoning into the belly cavity.

4.) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius, place chicken on a tray and cover with foil. Put to oven and bake for 30 mins, then turn the chicken over and bake for another 30 mins. Increase the temperature to 250 degrees celsius and place the chicken with breast side up brushed with some olive oil to color the chicken) and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

5.) Garnish with some fresh basil leaves and Serve!

You can opt to drink the rest of your soju bottle with this now!

Cheers and Enjoy! :)