PEKING CHICKEN WITH GINGER SCALLION SAUCE

Roasted Peking Chicken with the crispiest, most flavorful skin you've ever tasted! The key is to baste, baste, baste!

INGREDIENTS:

1 chicken
½ tsp Chinese five spice powder

Marinade
¼ cup light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
6 slices ginger
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

Basting Sauce
Leftover marinade (cooked)
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

Ginger Scallion Sauce
5 green onion stalks
6 slices ginger
½ tsp salt
4 tbsp peanut oil

Tools 
Large bowl
Grill 
Roasting pan with rack 
Saucepan 
Basting brush
Instant read thermometer

DIRECTIONS:

1. Lightly dust the inside of the chicken with 1/2 tsp of Chinese five spice powder.
2. Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl or ziploc bag, add the chicken, and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
3. Preheat oven/grill/smoker to 350°F.
4. Remove the chicken from the fridge and the marinade 30 minutes before baking it. Place the ginger from the marinade inside the chicken cavity.
5. Set up a roasting pan with a rack and set the chicken on it. (You can set the chicken on balled up aluminum foil if you don't have a roasting rack.)
6. If using an external digital thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the chicken without hitting the bone (in the thigh is usually best).
7. Transfer the leftover marinade to a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes.
8. Stir in 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey and set aside.
9. Transfer the chicken to the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes. 
10. After 20 minutes, you should begin to see some fat drippings. Baste the chicken with the fat drippings every 20 minutes for 1 hour. (If you don't get a lot of drippings, you can brush with 1-2 tablespoons oil.)
11. Once the chicken has been in for an hour, begin basting with the sauce every 10-15 minutes until all of the sauce has been used (about 30 mins).
12. Remove the chicken from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. (This usually takes about 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of the chicken.)
13. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with white rice and ginger scallion sauce. Enjoy!
14. For the ginger scallion sauce, finely chop the scallions and ginger and place in a small bowl with the salt.
15. Heat the peanut oil until smoking then pour over the chopped scallions and ginger. Mix well.