Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1/3 cup extra to drizzle
- 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
- 2 leeks, sliced into 1cm thick rounds
- 2 whole chickens (about 1.5kg each)
- 3 lemons, cut into 1cm thick slices
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) chicken stock
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- Salt and freshly grounded pepper to taste
- Roast potatoes and steamed green beans, to serve
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours
Method
- Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan forced).
- Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add half the olive oil; add fennel and cook just until golden on the edges; transfer to a large baking dish. Add remaining olive oil; add leek and cook until golden on one side; transfer to the roasting pan with fennel
- To prepare the chickens, stuff a few of the lemon slices into the cavity of each chicken. Place remaining lemon slices and garlic cloves in the roasting pan; pour over the chicken stock and white balsamic. Place chickens on top of the prepared vegetables; drizzle with extra olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper, sprinkle with fennel seeds and scatter with the reserved fronds.
- Place in the oven and roast for around 1.5 hours. If you have a core temp probe, place into the thigh/leg joint and set the probe to cook to 74°C.
- Remove baking dish from the oven; portion the chickens as desired. The pan juices can be reduced by straining the liquid away from the vegetables, reserving vegetables. Place the pan juices in a saucepan to simmer for 5-10 minutes, until reduced and slightly thickened.
- Arrange vegetables on a platter with chicken on top; scatter with and remaining fennel fronds to garnish. Serve the pan juices in a jug on the side. Complete the meal by serving with roast potatoes and freshly steamed green beans.
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