Herby Roast Chicken With Garlic Lemon Toasts Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Stuff the chicken with the preserved lemon, basil, bay leaves and 1 of the garlic bulbs. Place in a roasting tin, season inside and out, then rub olive oil all over the skin. Roast in the oven for 1 hr, basting regularly.
• After 30 mins, nestle the other garlic bulb in the tin, then cook with the chicken for the final 30 mins. Test if the chicken is cooked by pushing a skewer into the thigh - if the juices run clear, it's done. Leave to rest somewhere warm for at least 15 mins, catching any resting juices.
• To make the toasts, grill or toast the sliced ciabatta. Take the softened garlic bulb that cooked alongside the chicken and squeeze the flesh onto the toasts, then roughly spread over with a knife. Remove the preserved lemon from the chicken cavity, roughly chop and scatter over the toasts. Drizzle with more olive oil, if you like, and serve alongside the chicken to mop up all the juices.

Steps:

• First, spatchcock the chicken (see our step-by-step video here). Sit the chicken on a board, breast-side down with the wing-end away from you. Use a strong pair of kitchen scissors to cut along either side of the backbone to remove it, cutting through the ribs as you go. Open out the chicken like a book, flip so it is now breast- side up, then press down on the breasts with the heel of your hand to flatten slightly - you are trying to get an even thickness across the whole joint. If you have any long skewers, diagonally criss-cross two, skewering through the legs and breast to hold in position. Sit the chicken in a dish or roasting tin. Mix the lemon zest and juice, olive oil and thyme with some pepper, rub all over the chicken, then cover and chill for up to a day.
• Get the beans ready by gently frying the pancetta in a pan - you shouldn't need any extra oil if you start it slowly. When the pancetta is golden and crisp, lift it out with a slotted spoon, then add the celery and garlic to the remaining fat in the pan. Gently cook for 10-12 mins until soft. Scrape into a medium-size deep roasting tin or baking dish with the pancetta, butter beans, thyme, wine, stock and plenty of seasoning. Set aside until ready to cook.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Transfer the chicken to a rack, breastside up, that will rest above the beans (sit the beans on a large baking sheet if the chicken overhangs at all, to keep your oven clean). Season the chicken with salt and roast for 40-50 mins until the chicken is cooked through - cut into one of the legs to check. Lift the chicken out to rest for 10 mins. If the beans are a bit soupy, transfer to the hob and simmer for a minute to reduce some of the juices - they should still be nice and wet though.
• To serve, cut the legs, thighs and wings from the chicken, then thickly carve or tear off the breast in chunks. Check the beans for seasoning, then stir through the parsley and serve with the chicken.

Steps:

• Roughly bash the garlic cloves and herbs (a rolling pin or meat mallet is good for this), then put in a large food bag or dish with the lemon zest, oil and chicken. Rub everything into the chicken, inside and out. Leave to marinate overnight.
• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 mins before you want to cook it. Put the vegetables in a large roasting tin and top with the chicken. Scatter the herbs and garlic from the marinade over, around and inside the bird. Push the 2 lemons inside the chicken too, halving to fit if necessary. Rub the butter all over the skin and season generously.
• Pour the wine into the tin with 150ml water, cover tightly with a tent of foil (so it doesn't touch the top of the bird) and cook for 2 hrs. Remove the foil and continue cooking for 1 hr more, or until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7 and roast for 25-30 mins more until the skin is really crisp. Lift the chicken from the tin to rest on a plate for 30 mins, covered again with the foil.
• Meanwhile, put the roasting tin on the hob and bubble to reduce the cooking juices a little. Add any juices from the rested chicken and season to taste. Serve the bird in the middle of the table to share, alongside the buttery veg.

Steps:

• Combine butter, rosemary, thyme, garlic and lemon peel in small bowl and stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Herb butter can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse chicken; pat dry. Slide hand under skin of chicken breast to loosen skin form meat. Reserve 2 tablespoons herb butter for gravy. Rub half of remaining herb butter over chicken breast under skin. Spread remaining herb butter over outside of chicken. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Truss chicken to help hold shape.
• Place chicken in heavy large roasting pan. Roast 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Roast chicken until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of inner thigh registers 175°F. and juices from thigh run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with skewer, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Lift chicken and tilt slightly, emptying any juices from cavity into roasting pan. Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Pour pan juices into large glass measuring cup. Spoon fat off top. Add wine to pan. Place pan over high heat; bring wine to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Pour wine mixture into cup with pan juices. Add enough broth to same cup to measure 2 1/4 cups liquid. Melt reserved 2 tablespoons herb butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; whisk until smooth and beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Boil until thickened to sauce consistency, whisking occasionally, about 7 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Arrange lemon and rosemary around chicken on platter. Serve with gravy.