Festive Recipes - Preserved Lemon + Sourdough Roast Chicken

This roast chicken enlists the help of the classic flavour combination of lemon and garlic and it is sure to impress everyone during this festive season! It roasts on a bed of onions and sourdough which soak up all of the rich juices and herb butter that sits under the chicken skin. You're left with these crunchy morsels to dip in the beautiful gravy that sits below. A dead simple recipe that's not just for special occasions and one that will have everyone going back for more!

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 3 brown onions, quartered with skin on 
• 3 garlic cloves, bruised
• 200g sourdough, torn into large chunks

Lemon and Herb Butter

• 100g unsalted butter
• 1 small preserved lemon with pips removed
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Method

1. Remove your chicken from the packaging and pat dry. Leave in tray, uncovered overnight if time permits.
2. Preheat oven to 180C.
3. To make the herb butter, add everything to a food processor and blend to combine. Season with freshly cracked pepper and salt.
4. Carefully pull the skin back from the breast, using a spatula or spoon to get all the way in. Be careful not to tear the skin.
5. Spoon the butter under the skin and spread out evenly with your hands.
6. Place the onions, garlic and sourdough on the bottom of a tray and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.
7. Place the chicken on top of the onions and drizzle with olive oil and flaked sea salt. If there's any leftover butter, place in bottom of pan.
8. Cook chicken for 70 mins or until internal temp reaches 75C, basting the chicken once or twice with the butter.
9. Rest for 10 mins before carving.