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| Incredible roast chicken on bread croutons and salad - so good you won't want to share. |
Trust me. This classic recipe* with a 67 twist is gorgeously indulgent. In normal times, eating chicken healthily involves self-restraint. Special Occasion Chicken encourages the consumption of everything that's lovely about chicken even if - whisper it - it's not very good for you, including:
- crispy glistening skin
- rich sticky juices
- crunchy crispy croutons soaked in chicken juices
Loads of salad greens give an impression of healthiness. Raw salad IS good for you but everything else about this dish is an indulgence. A little restraint is advised for the fat or cholesterol phobic.
The occasion and the recipe demands the best chicken you can afford. Organic is recommended but a good free-range bird will also do. (At least 3 major supermarkets** are selling good-sized organic chickens for £10)
The chicken, salad and dressing can be prepared in advance but the salad should be prepped no more than a day ahead.
Cost: min £13'ish
Feeds: 2 for a Valentine's meal with plenty of leftovers to freeze for packed lunches or to share with a crowd with plenty of sides
Ingred:The occasion and the recipe demands the best chicken you can afford. Organic is recommended but a good free-range bird will also do. (At least 3 major supermarkets** are selling good-sized organic chickens for £10)
The chicken, salad and dressing can be prepared in advance but the salad should be prepped no more than a day ahead.
Cost: min £13'ish
Feeds: 2 for a Valentine's meal with plenty of leftovers to freeze for packed lunches or to share with a crowd with plenty of sides
good sized organic chicken
couple of tablespoons soft butter
coarsely grated zest of one lemon, pref. unwaxed
half a small onion
half a lemon
2-3 cloves peeled garlic
fresh thyme (opt)
pepper & salt
2 sourdough rolls, each cut in two slices 3/4inch/2cm thick OR four 3/4inch/2cm slices sourdough bread
200gm/7oz spinach (150/5.2), baby leaves for pref.
radishes (opt)
3-4 tbsp good olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
good pinch salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, pref. coarsely ground
1 rounded tsp wholegrain mustard
1/4 tsp sugar, honey or maple syrup (opt but adds pizazz!)
Method:
Advance Preparation (best 1 day ahead; no more than 2)
Chicken
- Press a paper towel over the chicken to dry skin
- Combine soft butter and lemon zest
- Starting from the top of the chicken breast above the cavity, use fingertips to separate the skin from the chicken; go gently - the skin will tear.
- Push the butter under the skin massaging it over the breast and over the thighs. Save a bit of butter to smear over the wings and other difficult to reach areas
- Season the cavity with pepper & salt; push in the onion, whole garlic cloves, half lemon and thyme if using
- Wrap tightly in a double layer cling film.
- Refrigerate in the coldest part of the fridge max 2 days
- Soak any veg that's not organic in a solution of 9 parts water, 1 part vinegar 20 mins.
- Rinse; pat dry with a clean tea towel or paper towels
- Line a plastic bag with clean dry j-cloths, add leaves; place in the vegetable crisper in the fridge.
Salad Dressing
- Mix oil, vinegar, mustard, mustard, seasoning and sweetener in a small clean jar with a tight fitting lid
- Shake & refrigerate
Bread
- Wrap in cling film
On the day
- Remove chicken from fridge; allow to come to room temperature
- Preheat oven to 180c/350f/gas4
- Choose a glass or metal baking tray at least 2inches/5cm high which holds the chicken snugly. Place the tray (without the chicken) in the oven
- When oven is ready and baking dish is hot, remove from oven; place roll/bread in the bottom - you may need to halve one slice to fit. If using rolls, slice a bit off the top to help it sit flat
- Rest chicken, breast side up, on the bread
- Bake just below centre of oven 50 mins, turning the back of the tray to the front half way through
- Using a wide fish slice and tongs with soft ends, carefully flip the chicken over; the breast will now be resting on the bread
- Bake a further 15 mins; a temperature probe inserted between thigh and breast should read 75c/165f
- Place chicken on a plate; cover with foil, then several layers of tea towels; rest 20mins
- Pour the juices into a jug; keep warm
- Check the bread. It should be brown and crisp; if parts are still soft, cut them off & return to the oven, check every 5-10min until crisped up. When ready, all the bread can be cut into decent sized croutons
- Carve chicken into 10 pieces: 2 drums, 2 thighs, 2 wings (with some white meat attached) 2 breasts removed from bone & divided into 2 chunks each (Freeze carcass and any bones to make stock)
- Shake salad dressing vigorously; moisten spinach leaves; toss; cover a large platter
- Arrange chicken and croutons across the spinach leaves
- Arrange radishes around the edge
- Remove as much fat as possible from the juices; serve in a separate jug
**67 tested M&S & Budgens whole organic chickens which were exceptional value & Waitrose which did not impress. Morrisons (untested) organic were the same size & price as M&S
More chicken on NavBar: Recipes 1/Chicken
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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/BrightSunEnterprises and may not be reproduced in any form without the author's written permission. B Lee/BrightSun accept no liability for the consequences of any action taken on the basis of the information provided
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