Ingredients 1 whole chicken (2kg – 3kg) or legs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon (optional), chopped into segments
1 onion (optional), peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves (optional), peeled |
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Method 1) Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
2) Stuff the chicken with the onion, lemon and garlic, if using, to infuse it with flavour.
3) Place the chicken into a large baking tray or roasting tin and drizzle the oil and sprinkle the black pepper over the skin. Roast in the centre of the oven for 1-1.5 hours or 30-40 minutes for legs. Use a spoon to baste the chicken with the juices in the pan every 20 minutes or so, cover with foil for the last 30 minutes so that it wont dry out.
4) Check that the chicken is cooked completely by piercing the thickest part, between the breast and leg, with a skewer. The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear and there is no pink meat left. Legs can be checked in the same way by piercing the thickest part.
5) Leave the chicken to stand, covered, at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving. Suggestions Try making small incisions in the skin of the bird and rubbing herbs into them, a bunch of sage or few sprigs of rosemary with a little black pepper are a good combination. Coating the skin with honey is another tasty alternative.
If using a smaller bird, there is no need to cover it with foil as it will not dry out.
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