Carrying on from our Bruschetta starter - here's a showstopping roast chicken recipe that will knock the socks clean off your other half while being low-stress for the chef.
This is perfect served with roast potatoes and some glorious green veg!
Tuscan Roast Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
40g butter at room temperature
4 cloves of garlic
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
2 halves sun dried tomato, chopped
1 lemon
Oil
Method:
Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.
Crush two cloves of the garlic and, in a bowl, combine with the butter, rosemary and sun dried tomato. Mix with a fork or spoon to ensure everything is incorporated.
To prepare the chicken, gently slide your fingers under the skin and delicately pull it away from the breasts.
Again using your fingers, take the butter and stuff it evenly under the skin across the top of the chicken. You can use a flat hand on top of the skin to push the herb butter down across the breast of the chicken.
Cover the top of the chicken in foil and bake in the oven – timing will depend on the size so always check the weight and packaging for guidance. For a medium size chicken, an hour and a half should be plenty, but always check to make sure the chicken is cooked right the way through before serving.
For the last 20-30 mins of cooking time, remove the foil and drizzle a little bit of oil and salt on the chicken skin. This will help it to crisp up beautifully.
Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes. This will help it retain all the juices and flavour.
Carve and serve with your favourite sides – this pairs excellently with golden roast potatoes and steamed broccoli. For a really juicy chicken, baste it at regular intervals while cooking.
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