Last month, we spoke with Phillip Tang and asked if he'd be interested in featuring a 3-course meal infused with a few teas from our recent release, 'Gifts: Care and Gratitude,' for his next food gathering. Phillip crafted a menu that showcased a Chinese-inspired chicken stock soup with our 2003 Formosa Eight Immortals Oolong, a Silver Tip Supreme Brined Roasted Chicken, and Clay Pot Rice enhanced with Mr. Yuki’s Okumidori green tea. Among the three dishes, he shared that the brined roasted chicken was his and the guests' favorite. In light of this, we decided to share this amazing recipe and explore more about Phillip's process and inspiration behind the dish.

Click here to see the lunch hosted by Phillip.

1. What inspired the creation of this dish, and what key elements do you believe make it stand out?

This recipe was inspired by a classic Chinese dish, Soy Sauce Chicken. The flavors of the Silver Tip Supreme almost reminded me of Chinese five spice, so pairing it with roast chicken just made sense to me. The interesting thing about this dish is that it'll taste immediately familiar, but you can tell there's something else in there that gives it a unique flavor.

2. What was your favorite part in preparation for this?

My favorite part was thinking of ways to incorporate tea into my cooking, since it's something I've never really done before. Steeping the tea leaves in the brine for the chicken reminded me of cold brewing a tea and I liked the idea of the flavor of tea getting stronger the longer the chicken sat in the brine.

3. For someone attempting to recreate this dish at home, do you have any tips or modifications to share?

If you're making this dish at home and you don't have some of the additional spices, you could just skip them. The main elements that really give the chicken its flavor are soy sauce, tea, and honey. It'll still turn out delicious even if you forgo a few of the brine ingredients! I'd also recommend keeping a close eye on the chicken toward the end of roasting, and rotate or cover with foil if the skin browns too quickly.

4.  What was your favorite part in preparation for this?

I try to base my culinary style in traditional techniques and flavors, but changing it just a bit to make it my own. I feel like this dish is a perfect encapsulation of that philosophy.

Recipe

Silver Tip Supreme Brine Roasted Chicken

• 1 3lb Whole Chicken
• 1/2 Cup (145g) Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Cup (115g) Shaoxing Wine
• Rinds from 1 Orange (45g)
• 1 Onion, Quartered (300g)
• 3 Dried Chilis (2.5 grams)
• 2in Knob of Ginger, sliced
• 6 Cloves of Garlic, peeled
• 3tbsp Honey
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Star Anise Pods
• 5 Cups of Water
• 10 grams Silver Tip Supreme Oolong Tea
• 1tbsp Salt
• 1tbsp Sugar

Ginger Scallion Sauce

• 55g minced ginger
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced
• 10g neutral oil
• 1tbsp salt

Instructions

• Combine all the brine components in a sizable container and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Once fully dissolved, immerse the chicken in the brine, placing the breast side down. Cover the container and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

• After the designated time, take the chicken out of the brine and pat it dry. Place the chicken in a roasting pan with the breast side up. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

• Season the chicken with 1 tablespoon of salt and brush it with 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Roast the chicken for 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even cooking.

• Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees and continue roasting for another 25-35 minutes or until the thigh reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

• Transfer the roasted chicken to a cutting board and let it rest, uncovered, for at least 15 minutes.

• For the ginger scallion sauce, combine ginger and scallion in a heatproof bowl.

• You can either finely chop the ginger and scallion by hand or use a food processor for efficiency. Heat oil in a small pot until it's barely smoking, then carefully add the hot oil to the bowl with ginger and scallion. Season with salt and stir to combine.

• Carve the rested chicken and serve it with the ginger scallion sauce and steamed rice.