126 MAY 2017
Roast chicken
4 ways
Basic roast chicken
SERVES4-6 PREP AND COOK TIME2 HOURS
1.6kg whole chicken
1 quantity flavoured butter (see recipes,
right)
1 quantity stuffing (see recipes, right)
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
1 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).
2 Remove and discard any fat from cavity
of chicken. Pat cavity and skin dry with
paper towel. Tuck wings under body.
3 Run fingers between skin and the breast
meat. Spoon half the flavoured butter
under skin; push through skin to cover
breast and tops of drumsticks and thighs.
4 Fill cavity with stuffing. Season chicken
all over with sea salt flakes and freshly
ground black pepper. Tie legs together
with kitchen string. Put your preferred
vegetables into base of a large roasting
dish and pour over the chicken stock.
5 Place chicken, breast-side up, on top of
vegetables; cover with remaining butter.
Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce oven to
180°C (160°C fan-forced); roast for a further
1½ hours until chicken is cooked through,
basting occasionally with pan juices.
Not suitable to freeze or microwave.Test Kitchen tip
Don’t forget to keep the chicken
carcass to make a stock for soups.French style
Stuffing:Heat 60g butter in a large frying
pan over medium heat; add 2 rashers of
chopped bacon, 1 finely chopped onion
and a clove of crushed garlic, and cook
until softened. Stir in a tablespoon of
chopped tarragon, 2 cups of fresh
breadcrumbs and ½ cupchopped
parsley. Season to taste.
Butter:Combine 2 cloves crushed garlic,
½ cup chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of
finely grated lemon rind and 125g soft
butter in a small bowl. Spoon onto a sheet
of baking paper, roll up to form a log and
twist ends to seal.
Roast:On a bed of scrubbed waxy
potatoes, a couple of bay leaves and
a sprig of tarragon.French
styleSpanish
style