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Lovo-style chicken
Fijian earth-oven chicken and root vegetables, adapted for a home oven
A lovo is Fiji's earth oven, dug in the ground for weddings, church feasts and Christmas in villages on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu: hot stones are covered with parcels of meat, fish and root vegetables in banana leaves, then buried for hours. This home version wraps chicken marinated in coconut, garlic and ginger with taro, cassava and sweet potato in foil and banana leaves and roasts them slowly, giving the same steamed, smoky-sweet result. The mistake is wrapping loosely, so the steam escapes and everything dries; seal the parcels tightly. Chef's tip: a few drops of liquid smoke or a smoked paprika rub gives a hint of the earth oven.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix ¾ cup coconut cream, 5 garlic cloves, 1 oz fresh ginger, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Coat 3 ⅓ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, cover and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
120 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F. Toss 1 ⅛ lb taro, 1 ⅛ lb cassava and 1 ⅛ lb sweet potato with the rest of ½ tsp salt.
Step 3: Lay a large double sheet of 1 roll of heavy foil in a roasting tin, line with 6 banana leaves if using, and pile the vegetables in the middle with the chicken on top. Pour over the marinade.
Step 4: Fold the leaves and foil over and seal tightly. Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes.
90 minStep 5: Open carefully. The cassava and taro must be completely soft (never eat them undercooked) and the chicken must reach 165°F. If needed, reseal and cook 15 minutes more.
Step 6: Serve the chicken and vegetables with the juices spooned over.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lovo-style chicken take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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