Anna's Roast Chicken

My dear friend Anna, is a super busy full time TV executive and full time yummy mummy.  I admire her strength and diligence day in and day out, as I watch her juggle her career, with motherhood as well as running a home.

Darling Anna cooked myself and our friends this roast chicken one Christmas, (whilst holding a baby), and ever since then I often cook it in my own household, and everyone knows it fondly as “Anna’s Roast Chicken”.  We love it’s tasty, crispy skin!

Here’s what to use:

1 medium sized organic free range corn fed chicken

1 head of garlic

1 chopped red chilli, seeds included

2 lemons, quartered

1 glass of dry white wine

A few sprigs of fresh rosemary

A handful of green olives olive chopped in half

A few good slug of light soy sauce

A good slug of extra virgin olive oil

Marinade the chicken in the above for as long as possible, preferably overnight. 

Heat your oven up full whack.

When you’re ready to cook the bird, make sure you take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking time to warm up a little.

As I said to you before, place the bird breast down in the roasting pan.  Scatter the lemons, chillies, olives, herbs and garlic around the bird.  You may think that they have done their job during the marinating time, however, they continue to flavour the pan juices when the bird is cooking.

Now do not let anything lie on the skin, as it will leave an unsightly white mark on the skin when it eventually falls off - just like our summer tans, we want a lovely, evenly coloured golden skin.

As soon as you put the chicken in, turn the temperature down to 200 degrees Celsius.

After half and hour, turn the bird over so the breast is on the top, and baste the breast, legs and wings liberally.

The bird should only take about another 60 or 70 minutes, so baste it generously every half and hour…..it really really does make all the difference.

Remember to leave the bird to rest for 15 minutes covered in foil, to allow the bird to rest, which makes it become even juicier.  Carve the bird, and pour the juices over the breast meat.  The meat is so juicy it doesn't even need gravy!

Serve with roast potatoes, and a medley of steamed greens….

….and of course with love…xoxo