ROAST chicken is a popular option when it comes to preparing and cooking a Sunday lunch or dinner. But what is the best and easiest way to make the iconic dish? Jamie Oliver shows how to make perfectly sized Yorkshire puddings Jamie Oliver is a British chef who often […]
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ROAST chicken is a popular option when it comes to preparing and cooking a Sunday lunch or dinner. But what is the best and easiest way to make the iconic dish?
Jamie Oliver shows how to make perfectly sized Yorkshire puddings
Jamie Oliver is a British chef who often shares his cooking tricks and tips with fans. Luckily for foodies who want to enjoy the perfect roast dinner today, Jamie has shared one of his favourite roast chicken recipes.
Describing it as “my perfect roast chicken”, Jamie shared his recipe on his website.
The chicken serves four people and takes an hour and 20 minutes to cook.
The roast chicken is “not too tricky” to cook, according to Jamie, and is best cooked with lemon and lots of fresh herbs.
Jamie explained: “I cook this every week and I always try to do something different with it.
“Basically what I do is carefully part the skin from the meat on the top of the chicken breast and stuff the gap with fresh, delicate herbs such as parsley, basil and marjoram, then I tie it up and roast it with some olive oil and salt.”
Two bunches of fresh soft herbs, such as basil, flat-leaf parsley, marjoram (60g)
One lemon
Four fresh bay leaves
One 1.4kg whole free-range chicken
Olive oil
Two sprigs of fresh rosemary
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Method
Preheat the oven and a roasting tray to 220ºC/425ºF/gas mark number seven.
Pick and finely chop the soft herbs, halve the lemon, and tear the bay leaves.
Rub inside the chicken cavity with sea salt, then carefully grab the skin at the tip of the chicken breasts, making sure that it doesn’t rip, and pull up gently.
With your other hand gently separate the skin from the meat of the breast – it's normally connected by a little bit of tissuey-type stuff, and you can either leave this attached in the middle and make two little tunnels either side, or you can try to cut away the middle.
Sprinkle a little salt down the gaps that you have made, push in most of the chopped herbs and drizzle in a little oil.
Push the lemon halves into the cavity along with the bay and rosemary sprigs, then pull the skin of the chicken breast forward so that none of the flesh is exposed, tuck the little winglets under, and tie up as firmly as possible.
Rub a little oil all over the chicken skin, scatter over the remaining chopped herbs and season very generously with salt and black pepper.
Slash each thigh about three or four times to allow the heat to penetrate directly.
Remove the hot tray from the oven and drizzle with a little oil.
Put the chicken into the tray, breast-side down and leaning to one side, then place in the oven.
Roast for five minutes, then lean it to the other side, still breast-side down.
Cook for another five minutes, then place the chicken on its bottom and cook for one further hour, or until golden and cooked through.
Jamie said the chicken's skin "should be really crispy", while the herbs will flavour the meat.
The chef added: "This really must be the best roast chicken.
"Trust me – it's not fiddly, it’s pukka."
