Roasted herb-butter chicken with sticky onions

Name: Roasted herb-butter chicken with sticky onions
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Ingredients: 25g butter, softened; 1 tsp finely chopped tarragon, plus extra sprigs; 2 tsp finely snipped chives; 1 tsp finely chopped parsley, plus extra sprigs; 1 x 1.8 kg chicken, preferably free-range, organic; 1 lemon, halved, skin pricked with a fork; 1 red onion, cut in thick wedges; 8 shallots, halved lengthways; 100g lardons; About 200ml hot chicken stock, optional for making gravy; Buttered new potatoes and peas, to serve

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 90 mins

Roasted herb-butter chicken with sticky onions

25g butter, softened

1 tsp finely chopped tarragon, plus extra sprigs

2 tsp finely snipped chives

1 tsp finely chopped parsley, plus extra sprigs

1 x 1.8 kg chicken, preferably free-range, organic

1 lemon, halved, skin pricked with a fork

1 red onion, cut in thick wedges

8 shallots, halved lengthways

100g lardons

About 200ml hot chicken stock, optional for making gravy

Buttered new potatoes and peas, to serve

Heat the oven to 190°C.

In a small bowl, combine together the chopped tarragon, snipped chives, chopped parsley, some salt and black pepper. Gently slip your fingers under the chicken’s skin at the neck opening then spread half of the herb butter over the flesh of each breast. Be careful not to damage the skin.

Place the lemon halves and some tarragon sprigs inside the chicken. Brush olive oil all over the skin then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the red onions in the middle of a roasting tin and lay the chicken on top.

Put in the oven for about 30 minutes before basting with the cooking juices. Add in the shallots and lardons and mix to coat them with juices. Put back in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir the shallots and lardons then roast for another 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is soft and the shallots golden. If the chicken is browning too quickly, cover with tin foil. The chicken is completely cooked when juices run clear after you poke the thickest part of the thigh with a fork or a skewer.

Move the chicken to a board or a serving plate and loosely cover with foil. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes, keeping the onions and lardons warm in the meantime.

Serve the chicken with the onions, lardons, buttered new potatoes and peas.

Serves
4-6

Preparation Time
20 minutes

Cooking Time
90 minutes

Main ingredients
Chicken, Vegetables

Recipe Type
Easy, Entertaining, Family Dinners, One Pot

Special Info
Gluten free, Nut free, Pregnant Mums

Level of Difficulty
Easy

To make a gravy: after taking the chicken out of the roasting tin, remove as much fat as you can from the cooking juices. Heat the tin over medium heat. Pour in the stock and deglaze. Simmer shortly and serve this gravy with the roast chicken.