Recipe brought to you by BakeClub's Anneka Manning & Neff
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 12 sprigs lemon thyme
- Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 x 1.5-1.8kg whole chicken, butterflied
- 2 lemons, thickly sliced
Roasted Baby Carrots
- 2 bunches baby carrots, trimmed and washed (reserve some of the carrot tops for garnish)
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Herb sauce
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves and half the stems coarsely chopped
- ½ bunch mint, leaves picked
- 80ml (1⁄3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes (+ 1-8 hours marinating time)
Baking time: 1 hour
Method
1. Combine the olive oil and lemon thyme and season generously with salt and pepper. Rub the lemon thyme oil all over the skin and flesh of the chicken. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or up to 8 hours) to marinate.
2. Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).
3. Arrange the lemon slices over the base of a roasting pan and place the chicken, skin side up, on the bed of lemons. Roast in preheated oven for 1 hour or until the chicken is golden and tender and juices run clear when a thigh is pierced in the thickest part with a skewer.
4. To prepare the Roasted Baby Carrots, line an oven tray with baking paper. Combine the oil, brown sugar, and salt and pepper. Drizzle over the carrots in a bowl and toss to coat. Arrange the carrots on the tray in a single layer but close to each other and then drizzle with any remaining oil in the bowl. About 25 minutes before the chicken is ready, add the carrots to the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden and tender with tested with a skewer.
5. Meanwhile, to prepare the Herb Sauce, combined the parsley, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and blend until well combined and smooth. Taste and season with a little more lemon juice if needed, salt and pepper.
6. Cut the chicken into 8-10 portions, and serve with the lemon slices, the roasted carrots drizzled with the red wine vinegar and herb sauce. Garnish with the reserved carrot tops, if desired.
Tip
- The green sauce will keep in an airtight jar and covered with a thin layer of olive oil, in the fridge for up to 1 week.
