Roast Chicken Recipe With Buttered Peas, Lettuce

Paul Heathcote's Italian-inspired roast chicken recipe is a fantastic family-pleaser, and would be a wonderful centrepiece for any Sunday roast or family get together. Given its quick preparation time, the roast chicken could also be made for a hearty midweek dinner. This flavourful roast chicken is accompanied by buttered peas in this recipe, but feel free to substitute the peas with your own favourite sides.

Ingredients

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Metric

Imperial

Roasted chicken

1 chicken, weighing 2kg
1 carrot
olive oil
salt
pepper

Herb mix

25g of butter
25g of cream cheese
1 sprig of tarragon, finely chopped
1 sprig of chervil, finely chopped
1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, zest finely grated
salt
pepper

Buttered peas with lettuce and bay leaf

1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp white wine
1 bay leaf
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp English mustard
100g of iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
2 tsp double cream
100g of unsalted butter, diced
salt
white pepper, freshly ground
200g of peas, cooked

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Roasting tray or cast iron pan

Begin this roast chicken recipe by preheating the oven. Switch the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4 and place a roasting tray in the oven

Make the herb mix for the chicken. Mix the herbs with the cream cheese, butter and zest, season well with salt and pepper and reserve to one side

1 sprig of tarragon
1 sprig of chervil
1 sprig of rosemary
25g of cream cheese
25g of butter
1/2 lemon
salt
pepper

To prepare the chicken remove the parson’s nose and trim up any excess fat.

1 chicken

Loosen the skin from the breast by gently working your fingers over the meat and under the skin to make a pocket repeat on the other side. Stuff the herb mix evenly under both breasts

With a sharp knife, score the legs with two or three incisions, this will make the legs crispy and allow them to cook quicker. Tie up the legs of the chicken

Rub olive oil over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Take the hot roasting tray from the oven and place the chicken on its side with the thigh of the chicken pressed firmly down. Use the carrot to prevent the chicken breast falling onto the tray and balance the chicken

olive oil
salt
pepper
1 carrot

Cook for 25 minutes before turning over and repeating for around 20 minutes

Sit the chicken upright for a further 15 minutes before removing. Check that the bird is cooked by inserting a small knife into the wing knuckle of the bird to test for blood. Allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes

Meanwhile, place the vinegar, wine, shallot and bay leaf in a small pan and boil until only a teaspoon of the liquid remains, then add the mustard

1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp white wine
1 shallot
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp English mustard

Add the lettuce and cream and bring back to the boil for 15 seconds

100g of iceberg lettuce
2 tsp double cream

Add the diced butter, little by little, and whisk in until a sauce is formed

100g of unsalted butter

Season to taste, reheat the peas and add to the sauce

To serve the roast chicken, carve the bird into 4 portions and serve with the peas

First published in 2015

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Paul Heathcote

Paul Heathcote’s love affair with cooking began at home in his early teens. He went on to win two Michelin stars and own multiple restaurants in the North West.

Herb roasted chicken with buttered peas, lettuce and bay leaf

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