Serves 4 + leftovers / prep time: 30 minutes
+ overnight salting / cook time: 70–80 minutes
+ 10 minutes resting time
Roast chicken is a real treat in our house. We don’t eat it often, and as we choose to purchase the pricier organic chickens, I will make it stretch over several meals. The leftover meat is used in a curry or added to a salad or sandwich, and the roasted bones make the most flavoursome stock for a risotto.
The key to tender flesh and crispy skin is to pre-salt the chicken the night before and chill it overnight. I then allow some time for the chicken skin to dry out at room temperature while the oven is heating. The result is perfectly seasoned and flavoursome chicken.
Ingredients
- size 16 organic chicken (about 1.6kg)
- about 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon
- 2 large onions (red and/or brown), cut into thick wedges
- 5-6 carrots (about 500g), halved lengthways
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 30g (2 tablespoons) melted butter
- fresh thyme sprigs
Method
The night before, remove the chicken from its packaging and place it in a deep bowl or lidded container. Sprinkle salt all over the surface and inside the cavity. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, when ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C).
While the oven heats, remove the chicken from the fridge, drain any liquid, and place it on a plate to dry out the skin. At this stage, you can tie the legs together with kitchen twine and cover the bird with a mesh food cover.
Slice half of the lemon. Arrange the slices on a roasting tray and top with the onion and carrot – this will make a bed for the chicken. Drizzle with olive oil and season well. Lay the chicken on top, brush generously with the melted butter and tuck thyme sprigs under the legs.
Place in the oven and roast for 40 minutes, then remove the chicken from the oven and baste it with the pan juices, squeezing over the juice of the remaining half lemon. Roast for a further 30 minutes. Check that the chicken is done by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh – if the juices run clear, it is ready. Otherwise, return it to the oven for a further 10 minutes. Alternatively, check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer – it should reach 78°C.
Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving dish and let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes to preserve the moisture in the chicken. Serve with rice or quinoa and sautéed greens.
Extracted with permission from The Homemade Table by Nicola Galloway. RRP $59.99. homegrown-kitchen.co.nz. Published by Potton & Burton.
