Name: Lemongrass Rotisserie Chicken (Lechon Manok)
Yield: Serves 2 to 4
Cuisine: Philippines
Ingredients: 2 star anise, or ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder; 1 medium-size leek, trimmed and rinsed, or 2 scallions; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; ½ cup soy sauce; 1 cup pineapple juice; 2 tablespoons calamansi juice (see the Calamansi Dipping Sauce here) or lime juice; 2 tablespoons annatto oil (see Note) or more vegetable oil, for basting; 1 whole chicken (3½ to 4 pounds); 2 stalks lemongrass; ¼ cup patis (fish sauce) or more soy sauce; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped; Vinegar and Soy Dipping Sauce; ¼ cup rice wine or dry sherry; 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped; Calamansi Dipping Sauce; 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper; 1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, flattened with the side of a cleaver

Preparation info

Serves
2 to 4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Planet Barbecue

By Steven Raichlen

Published 2010

About

The name says it all. Lechón is the Spanish word for suckling pig, a crisp-skinned, succulent glory enjoyed in Spain and throughout Spain’s former colonies. The cellophane-like crispness of the skin and the buttery richness and moistness of the meat are so prized that the dish has given its name to a spit-roasted chicken that shares these attributes. This is Filipino fast food at its best—you’ll find lechón manok shops on virtually every street in Manila. You order it through