OVEN ADOBO CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Assemble all the ingredients and a covered roaster pan large enough to hold the chicken in one layer when placed in the roaster. You can place a second layer of chicken in the roaster, but the chicken will not brown well without rotating the pieces.
• 2. Cut and clean the chicken pieces. Pat dry with paper toweling and set aside. We usually buy chicken parts. We prefer the legs and thighs. *If you use frozen chicken be sure to fully defrost the chicken before prep.
• 3. Assemble the marinade in a container suitable to hold all the chicken pieces. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces, be sure to coat each piece. Marinate for at least 30 minute - to overnight in the fridge. Rotate the chicken at least once during the marinating process. Break up the bay leaves before adding them to the marinade.
• 4. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees to begin the cooking process. Coat the roaster pan and cover well with cooking oil spray.
• 5. Cut and prep the onions, garlic, ginger and spices. Set each of them aside seperately.
• 6. Mix the spices and liquid ingredients together and set aside.
• 7. Place the marinated chicken pieces in the roaster pan. They can touch each other, but avoid over lapping the pieces if possible. *Drain and throw away the marinade. It was used with the raw chicken and should not be used in the cooking. *Remember if you layer the chicken you will need to rotate the pieces to cook and brown them evenly.
• 8. Cover the roaster and place it in the oven @ 400 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes*. Do not open the roaster during this cooking time. *Depending on how hot your oven bakes. If your oven runs hot cook for 20 minutes, if it runs cooler use the 30 minutes.
• 9. Open the roaster and check the chicken. Rotate the pieces of chicken if necessary. Baste the meat, Spoon the liquid over all the chicken. Re-cover the roaster and drop the oven temperature to 375 degrees. When we cook this in the oven, we keep the temperature at 400 degrees for the entire cooking time. You might also when you are more confident cooking this recipe.
• 10. When the chicken is halfway cooked cover the chicken with the onion rings and dried flowers. Spoon the liquid over everything. You can mix the onions and flowers in with the chicken and liquid. If you layered the chicken, you can rotate and dress the chicken with the liquid periodically for the remaining cooking time. About 10-15 minute intervals, depending on how fast the chicken is cooking.
• 11. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked and browned. If we layer the chicken, we rotate the pieces once or twice at the most. We can usually dress it once and bake covered for the remainder of the cooking time.
• 12. When cooked the chicken should: separate a little from the bone, have no red in the center of a thigh pierced with a knife, and be beautifully browned. Turn off the oven and remove the chicken pieces to a deep serving dish.
• 13. *If you want to thicken the liquid in the pan. Mix the cornstarch with cool water. Stir well to blend into a liquid resembling runny milk. Add the cornstarch liquid by spoonfuls to the hot liquid remaining in the roaster. Remove the gravy and add to the chicken or place in a separate bowl to serve. Let the roaster cool to the touch. Stir well. The cornstarch mix and hot liquid will thicken to a gravy like consistency. Season to taste.
• 14. Enjoy your meal!