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Crispy sage & lemon roast chicken

One crispy sage & lemon roast chicken

Crispy sage & lemon roast chicken

Name: Crispy sage & lemon roast chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: Serves 4 (or 2 with leftovers)
Ingredients: 1½kg whole chicken; 1 heaped tbsp sea salt flakes; 2 small lemons halved; 70g unsalted butter softened; 2 large garlic cloves crushed; ½ small bunch of sage finely chopped; ¼ small bunch of thyme leaves picked; 3-5 fresh bay leaves

Esther Clark

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Serves 4 (or 2 with leftovers)

Easy

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 1 hr and 30 mins

plus overnight chilling and resting

A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.7 ratingsRate

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Rub salt into the skin of the roast chicken and leave it overnight for a lovely crisp finish. Chicken and sage are a classic pairing for this Christmas main

Gluten-free

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

1½kg whole chicken
1 heaped tbsp sea salt flakes
2 small lemons

halved
70g unsalted butter

softened
2 large garlic cloves

crushed
½ small bunch of sage

finely chopped
¼ small bunch of thyme

leaves picked
3-5 fresh bay leaves

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Nutrition: Per serving

kcal537
fat37g
saturates15g
carbs3g
sugars1g
fibre1g
protein47g
salt3.1g

Method

step 1

The night before, put the chicken in a medium roasting tin. Rub the salt generously over the skin and into the cavity, then grind over some black pepper. Push one half of a lemon into the cavity, then tie the legs together with kitchen string. Cover and chill overnight.
step 2

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Dab a little of the excess salt from the skin using kitchen paper.
step 3

Mix the butter with the garlic and sage. Push the herby garlic butter under the skin using your hands and rub it over the flesh, making sure it’s evenly spread out. Stuff the thyme and bay leaves into the cavity, then put the remaining lemon halves in the tin around the chicken. Roast for 1 hr, then baste the chicken with the buttery juices from the tin. Roast for a further 20-30 mins, or until cooked through. Check the chicken is cooked by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh – the juices should run clear.
step 4

Transfer the chicken to a board, cover and leave to rest for 20 mins before carving. Slice and serve on a warmed platter.

RECIPE TIPS

ROSEMARY & PANCETTA ROAST CHICKEN

In step three, instead of using garlic and sage, finely chop 70g smoked pancetta and ½ bunch of rosemary leaves and mix with the butter.

ADD SMOKY FLAVOUR

Mix ½ tbsp smoked paprika and 2 tsp dried oregano into the butter before rubbing into the chicken.

SAUSAGE STUFFING

Or, squeeze the sausagemeat from 2 pork sausages and mix with ½ bunch of sage or thyme leaves, finely chopped, and 2 chopped shallots.

Listen to this recipe

Listen to the crispy sage & lemon roast chicken Cookalong episode of the BBC Good Food podcast to hear Esther Clark talk you through the step-by-step guide to her recipe. Listen on Spotify now.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, Christmas 2020

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A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.7 ratings

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