Festive Roast Chicken Recipes

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
• Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

FESTIVE STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the potatoes in the stuffing mix, tip into a roasting tin, drizzle over the olive oil, season and roast for 30 mins.
• Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, carefully cutting halfway through, and open them out like a book. Spread 1 tbsp Boursin cheese and ½ tbsp cranberry inside each chicken breast. Close the breasts, then wrap each in a slice of Parma ham. Line a baking tray with foil and put the chicken breasts on top. Once the potatoes have been cooking for 10 mins, put the chicken tray in and cook for the remaining 20 mins.
• Remove the chicken and potatoes, and toss the potatoes with the lemon juice and rocket. Serve the oozing chicken breasts with the potatoes on the side.

FESTIVE GOLDEN FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk together the marinade ingredients, put the chicken into a dish, then pour over the marinade, mixing to coat. Cover, then chill for at least 20 mins, or up to a day if you have time.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, and lift the chicken out of the marinade into a roasting tin. Roast for 40 mins, pour over the remaining marinade, then cook for a further 30 mins until golden and sticky. Sprinkle with the spring onion, then serve.