Indulge in this incredibly hands-off, slow-roasted curried coconut chicken that promises the juiciest, fall-off-the-bone tenderness! Packed with the goodness of coconut milk and aromatic spices, this high-protein dish is designed to make your chicken go further, offering a delicious and healthy base for multiple meals.
Preheat the oven to 150°C. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk and Thai yellow curry paste. Season with fish sauce and set aside. Peel the brown onions and cut them into wedges.
Gently bash the lemongrass to release its flavour, then stuff it into the chicken's cavity along with the whole garlic head. Season the chicken all over with salt and black pepper.
Transfer the onion wedges to a baking tin. Place the seasoned chicken on top of the onions and pour the coconut milk mixture all over the chicken. Once the oven is hot, roast the chicken for 3 hours, or until it is cooked through and tender.
Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving. Separate the breasts, wings, thighs, and drumsticks.
While the chicken is roasting and resting, prick the raw cherry tomatoes a few times with the tip of a knife. Halve any larger tomatoes.
Place the carved chicken into one airtight container. Add the roasted onions and garlic head to a second airtight container. Put the prepared raw tomatoes into a third airtight container. Pour all of the pan juices from the baking tin over the tomatoes to marinate them until ready to use. Do not skim off the fat, as it contains a lot of flavour.
For an even richer flavour, marinate the chicken in the coconut milk and curry paste mixture for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight, before roasting.
The leftover pan juices, rich with chicken fat and coconut milk, are excellent for adding flavour to rice or other grains when reheating the chicken.