Xmas recipe: How to make Herb and Roast Chicken

Rediff reader and food blogger Nidhi Sharma shares a recipe of herb and roasted chicken for Christmas.

What's your favourite Christmas recipe? Tell us!

The goodness of chicken roasted in herbs is an absolute delight to serve your guests this winter.

Want to try it for Christmas?

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (I used 1 1/2 kg chicken)
3 medium potatoes
2 medium onions
1 whole garlic pod
2 oranges (To rub the chicken, stuff and garnish)
3 lemons (To rub the chicken, stuff and garnish)
1 star anise
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp chopped green coriander
7-8 cherry tomatoes (optional)
10-15 lettuce leaves (optional)

For the butter rub

100 gm butter
2 cloves garlic (minced/ grated)
Lemon zest of 1 lemon
Orange zest of 1/2 orange
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp orange juice
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Method

If you are using frozen chicken, thaw it and let it rest for at least one hour before roasting it.
If the chicken is cold, it will become hard after roasting and will get cooked unevenly. So bring the chicken to room temperature, wash and pat it dry to ensure that there is no moisture left.
Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C) and place a rack in the centre.
Chop the potatoes into bite size pieces and put them in your baking pan.
Cut the onions into big round slices and place them in the centre of the pan. This will ensure that the chicken remains elevated and bakes evenly.
Add two crushed cloves of garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and red chilli powder and toss the pan to mix all the ingredients.
When the chicken bakes, it will release its own juices which will be absorbed by the potatoes and onions. You can use these vegetables as a salad to go along with the roasted chicken.
To make the butter rub, mix all the ingredients listed in butter rub.
Use a micropane or a small grater to get the lemon and orange zest and take out the juice from the same orange and lemon.
Mix everything well to ensure that all the ingredients are well combined.
Take the chicken and loosen the skin with your fingers.
Take half of the butter rub and place it under the skin of the chicken. Use your fingers to spread it across evenly.
Use the remaining butter rub and apply it generously all over the chicken. Make sure you apply it in-between the wings as well as the back of the chicken.
Slice one orange and two lemons into small wedges (the ones which you used for the zest).
Place one garlic pod, star anise and the lemon and orange wedges inside the stomach cavity of the chicken
Criss cross the legs of the chicken and tie them up with a strong kitchen twine or thread. This will ensure that the stuffing stays inside the cavity.
Place the chicken on the baking tray and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
Roast the chicken at 425 F (220 C) for an hour and half. The roasting time will depend on the size of your chicken.
After 1 hour, keep a watch on the chicken to see how well it is being roasted.
To check if the chicken is done, take a small knife and cut the thickest part of the chicken i.e. the thigh. If juices run clear and the chicken is no longer pink, it is done!
Once the chicken is roasted, take it out and let it cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before carving it.
Use a sieve to drain out the excess juices from the potatoes and onions and place them in a bowl.
Garnish the salad with some chopped green coriander.
To assemble the platter, make a bed of lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes.
Place the roasted chicken in the centre and garnish with some additional lemon and orange wedges.
Serve it with some toasted bread and enjoy the delicious and flavourful fruits of your labour!

Photo Courtesy: soulandspicebox

What's your favourite Christmas recipe? Tell us!

Simply e-mail your recipes to getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: Xmas recipe) with your name, hometown and any interesting details about the origin of the recipe, along with a photograph of the recipe, if possible. We'll publish the best preparations right here on Rediff.com and India Abroad.

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