Roast Chicken with Preserved Lemons
I always try to buy free-range chicken; if I’m going to eat meat it makes me feel better as a consumer and also I think it tastes better, so it’s a win win. The last couple of times we’ve had a whole roasted chicken I have stuffed the inside with preserved lemons. They provide a delicate flavour to the flesh and enhance the caramelised juices with a salty citrus hit.
Roasting a chicken is a simple and fuss free way of cooking and can feed several people in one sitting. Alternatively it can provide the basis for two or three meals for a couple of people (try the leftovers shredded into my Asian Noodle Peanut Salad).
- Ingredients:
- 1 free-range whole chicken (giblets removed)
- 2 or 3 preserved lemons, halved
- Salt and pepper
Step 1: Place the chicken in a roasting tray and insert the preserved lemons inside the bird through the opening at one end.
Step 2: Sprinkle the skin with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Place in a preheated oven at 190c and cook for 45 minutes per kilogram plus a further 20 minutes.
Step 4: Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and leave to rest for a good 20 minutes before carving.
Serve as a classic roast dinner, or enjoy in the summer with a warm potato salad and a green salad.
