Fresh and tangy salsa verde makes this roast chicken a winning dish
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword chicken, crowd pleaser, family meals, roast chicken
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
Servings 5people
Cost £ - ££
Ingredients
The Chicken
1.5kgfree range chicken(where possible go for organic or free range)
pinch salt and pepper
2tbspolive oil
Salsa verde
3cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2tspcapers
8anchovy fillets
pinch of sea salt
1tbspolive oil
1/4 - 1/2cupfresh parsley (no need to be precise on this measurement)
1/4 -1/2cupfresh mint, chopped (no need to be precise on this measurement)
1tbspfresh rosemary, chopped
1/4cuprocket salad, chopped(optional - see below, Notes)
1tbspfresh tarragon
3green onion, chopped (use mainly the white part)
1fresno chilli (substitute jalapeno, pinch of chilli flakes or a bit hotter serrano chilli), sliced(optional)
1lemon
Instructions
For the chicken
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C
To prepare the chicken, spatchcock it first then, cut in half (see below for 'How to Spatchcock' or ask your butcher to do it)
Add a little sprinkle of olive oil over it and sprinkle both sides of the chicken with a pinch of sea salt and ground pepper.
Pop into a pan that is oven proof.
Cook for 45 mins or until the juices are clear (*use a meat thermometer to help with the internal temp so it remains juicy), keep basting throughout.
Rest for a few minutes before you cut the two halves into pieces for serving.
For the salsa verde
On a board, crush your garlic with the side of your knife and then add your capers, anchovy fillets and a pinch of sea salt (and a little pepper) on top.Now, chop all these up together so you have a nice rough chopped mix.Add a little olive oil if it's too dry.
Now, take all your herbs, chopped chilli, chopped green onion, place on top of this mix, add a squeeze of lemon and roughly chop it all up together, mix it up as you chop. NB: it doesn't need to be super finely chopped, it's a rustic sauce.
Place in a bowl and add approx 1/2 cup olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper and mix. It shouldn't be a dry, thick mix but also not too runny so make your judgement on how much oil.Taste and adjust to your preference.
Serve on top of the roast chicken pieces.
Notes
How to spatchcock a chickenNote: As long as you have plenty of mint and parsley you can add any other herb or even just keep it super simple with these two.