Spatchcock Roast Chicken
Spatchcocking is a great way of cooking a chicken as it cooks in half the time, making it perfect for a weeknight, and always results in the most tender chicken. We’ve suggested vegetables that are in season in Spring, but these can be easily swapped to suit the season.
Method
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 240C/220C fan. First, pat the chicken dry with some kitchen roll, this will help the skin to crisp. To spatchcock, place the chicken breast side-down on the chopping board and identify the backbone. Use a pair of strong kitchen scissors to cut down either side of the backbone and remove it. Keep hold of the backbone if you plan to make stock with the carcass. Flip the chicken, so that the breasts are facing upwards, and press down on the breastbone with the palm of your hand to flatten. Spread out the legs and wings so that the thighs are facing upwards, and season generously on both sides (you can do this up to a day in advance).
Step 2
Next, add 2 sliced onions, 8 cloves of garlic and 10g thyme to your largest roasting tin. Shape into a neat pile in the centre and place the chicken on the top, ensuring that all the pieces of onion and garlic are covered. Rub 2 tbsp olive oil over the chicken skin.
Step 3
Toss 500g halved potatoes and 4 sliced carrots with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and add to the roasting tin. Place on the middle shelf of your oven, thighs towards the back, and cook for 45 minutes, until browned and the juices run clear.
Step 4
Sit the cooked chicken in a dish or board that will catch the juices and set aside to rest. Toss the potatoes in the juices, season to taste, tip into a serving dish and keep warm. Fill a large saucepan with salted water and bring to a rolling boil.
Step 5
This roast chicken is perfectly good with a dollop of garlic aioli, but if you’d like to make gravy here’s how to do it (if you don’t have a gas hob or an induction compatible roasting tin, you’ll need to do this in a saucepan): Squeeze the flesh of the garlic into the roasting tin and mix with the chicken juices. Set over a moderate heat, add 2 tbsp flour and stir continuously for about 1 minute until you have a paste. Gradually add 500ml chicken stock and whisk until smooth, bubble for 4-5 minutes until thickened. Pour any resting juices from the chicken into the tin, taste to check seasoning and adjust as needed (you might like to add a splash of white wine, mustard or vinegar), then pour into a jug.
Step 6
Whilst you carve the chicken tip 200g green beans into the saucepan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until just tender. Add 250g peas, bring back to the boil, then drain and divide between the plates, along with some potatoes, onion, chicken and a puddle of gravy.
- Ingredients
- Based on 4 servings
-
2 Onions, cut into 1cm slices 2x Sainsbury's Onions Loose -
4 tbsp Olive Oil 1x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 1L -
6 Cloves Garlic, unpeeled 1x Sainsbury's Garlic -
2 tbsp Plain Flour 1x Sainsbury's Plain Flour 500g -
10g Thyme 1x Sainsbury's Bunched Thyme 20g -
500ml Chicken Stock 1x Sainsbury's Stock Cubes, Chicken 10x10g -
250g Peas 1x Stamford Street Co. Peas 850g -
4 Carrots, cut into 1cm slices 4x Sainsbury’s Carrots Loose -
200g Green Beans, trimmed 1x Sainsbury's Fine Green Beans 200g -
1.6kg Whole Chicken, bring up to room temperature before cooking 1x Sainsbury's British Fresh Medium Whole Chicken 1.6kg -
500g Jersey Royal Potatoes, halved 1x Sainsbury's British Gems New Potatoes, Taste the Difference 750g -
Maldon Salt, to taste 1x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g