Herb Roasted Chicken Breast
Whenever I plan to cook chicken breast, I always buy a whole chicken. If you learn to
take the breast off the chicken carcass you get extra meals from it. Alternatively, you
can purchase chicken breasts already trimmed and ready to cook from your butcher or
supermarket.
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Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- 1x 2-2.25kg organic or free range chicken
- 6 sage leaves, finely chopped
- zest of 1/2 of a lemon
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 500ml white wine (optional)
- maldon salt and freshly ground pepper
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 200g spinach, trimmed and washed (leave the excess water on the
spinach)
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Gnocchi
- or boiled new potatoes
-
Chicken: Preheat an oven to 220°C. Using a sharp knife run it
around the wish bone of the chickens, then using your fingers twist it free of the
chicken (this is an optional step but it does allow you to cut the chicken breast
from the chicken easily and cleanly without leaving lots of meat behind.). Loosen
the skin from the breast meat of each chicken carefully with your hands so as not to
break the skin. Distribute the crushed garlic evenly between the meat and skin over the
breasts and place 3 sage leaves under the skin of each breast.
- Place the chicken in a roasting tray and season generously with salt and
pepper. Pour the olive oil over the chicken and rub the skin with your hands so
that the seasoning and oil coat the chicken. Add the water or wine to the base of
the pan. Place the chickens in the centre shelf of the preheated oven.
- Leave the chicken to cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven
and baste it well adding more water to the pan if it is dry. Reduce the temperature
to 180C and return the chicken to the oven. Leave the chicken to cook for a further
1 hour and 15 minutes basting it every 15- 20 minutes adding water to the an if
necessary. If the chicken skin is becoming to dark reduce the temperature slightly
and cover the skin with foil. The chicken should be crisp and golden brown when
ready if it isn't increase the temperature to 220C and cook it for a further 10
minutes. To test if it is ready insert a sharp knife or skewer in the centre of the
thigh the juices should run clear if they don't return it to the oven for a further
10-15 minutes until ready. Leave it to stand for 10 minutes before carving. Pour the
fat from the pan and keep the roasting juices warm for serving with the chicken
(reheat it briefly if necessary).
-
Spinach: Pour the oil into a large saucepan, wok or pan. Place the
pan over a moderate-high heat, when the oil is hot add the garlic and cook it for 1
minute. Add the spinach to the pan and cook it stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes
until wilted down. Season the spinach with a little salt and pepper and stir in the
nutmeg. Keep the spinach warm until ready to serve.
-
To Serve: Slice the breasts from the chicken slicing it along the
centre bone from the neck end towards the cavity, then carefully pull it away from
the carcase (if you are right handed remove the right one first and if your left
handed the left breast first). Place the spinach on one side of each plate and the
gnocchi on the other side of the plate or boiled new potatoes tossed
in butter. Slice each chicken breasts into 4-6 pieces and fan each one out on the
sauted spinach. Drizzle over a little of the roasting juices. Serve.
* If you would like to have gnocchi but don't have the time to make it
simply buy a good quality shop bought one. Boiled or roasted new potatoes also make a
good accompaniment to the chicken. The chicken legs can be used later for a salad or try
them in a Thai or Satay salad or add shredded chicken to Vietnamese Summer Rolls.