Chicken in a Watermelon
- Total Time
- 5 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 1very large watermelon
- 1roaster chicken, about 5 to 6 pounds
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1lemon
- ½cup soy sauce
- 1teaspoon five-spice powder
- 2tablespoons chilled butter
Preparation
- Step 1
Cut a ¼-inch-thick horizontal slice off bottom of watermelon, so it won't roll. Discard. Cut off the top third of the melon horizontally, then scoop out seeds and enough of the pulp from both remaining parts to make room for the chicken.
- Step 2
Season cavity of chicken with salt and pepper. Insert lemon pricked with fork, along with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Brush outside of chicken with remaining soy sauce, and sprinkle with five-spice powder.
- Step 3
Place chicken in the larger part of the melon, and position the other piece of melon on top, securing with long skewers.
- Step 4
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and bake 2 hours. Then, reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake 2½ hours longer.
- Step 5
Place watermelon on a tray and show it to guests. Return it to kitchen: remove chicken and carve. With a ladle, remove juices from watermelon and reduce in skillet until thickened; whisk in cold butter and spoon over chicken before serving
Private Notes
Comments
I cook this every year. Pro tip: set the chicken in aspic for a lovely spring breakfast! Best served set on fire.
Unlike many of the recipes here which bother me with pictures and/or video, this preparation is unusual enough that i would like some visual guidance. i think i've got it, but i'd like to be sure.
second, any thoughts on other than whole chicken, i.e., cut up, breasts or legs and thighs only?
Hooray to Vmae for posting a video. I love the idea of serving an April Fool's meal. Those amazing "Is that cake???" creations weren't common in 1996 like they are now, but those would be perfect for the occasion. Thank you for sharing R.Gold's original article today. The recipe for the Cake in a Shoe Box is included towards the end of her column. I actually have that particular size of box on hand so I'm all set--but that 3 hour bake time, oh my!)
To make it really special, follow these steps: 1. After removing chicken from watermelon, sprinkle liberally with cognac. 2. Immediately light with a match and voila! Poulet Jubilée. 3. Designate one guest as photographer and video your guests’ delighted oohs and aahs. 4. Once the flames have died down, discard the burnt carcass. 5. Order Chinese take out.
@Dr. Polo: What about the watermelon sauce? Flambe or serve with Chinese food.
I needed a video or photos, so found this https://www.instructables.com/Chicken-in-a-Watermelon/
until you posted this link I thought this was a giant April Fool's joke! thanks for helping me grasp what this was all about!