If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that what I love to cook is humble home cooking but elevating it to another level. And, really, at the end of the day – nothing feels more humble to me than a roasted chicken. But, in keeping with my brand of elevating the simple – this time I’ve done an olive oil roast chicken with salsa verde.
Olive oil roast chicken with salsa verde
It sounds complicated, doesn’t it? What’s an olive oil roast chicken? What’s salsa verde? Well, when it comes to the olive oil roast chicken, if it was good enough for Adam Liaw, then I think it’s good enough for everyone! It’s a simple process that will give you moist and delicious roast chicken – every time! What is DRY chicken? It’s impossible with this recipe!
Salsa verde
Based on a traditional Mexican recipe, Salsa verde is a herby sauce that brings brightness and acidity to dishes. This one that I’ve made includes anchovies and capers – but, please! If you tend to stay away from these flavours, don’t let this deter you – they get blended in with other flavours and they are used to enhance, and not take over the dish. You’ll barely be able to taste them!
The star of the show: the chook
When it comes to buying a roast chook, you’re going to need a 1.5kg whole chicken. It’s about making a big, juicy chicken that is a real show stopper! You can get them from the supermarket, but going to a poultry specialist or butcher, you’ll get a better quality, sometimes organic, chicken that can make a bit of a difference.
Leeks
Another maybe left turn addition to this recipe is that I’ve used a leek. I love leeks, and I think that they’re sometimes forgotten about. But in this method, the leeks crisp up and become delicious and crunchy. They’re so savoury and umami that it just gives an unexpected but tasty twist to the recipe.
Technique on Olive oil roast chicken with salsa verde
This is all about the chicken itself. How do you cook the chicken perfectly? I’ve detailed all the tips I have so that you can also be enjoying a beautiful , tender, moist, perfectly cooked roast chicken.
- Brine. Salt your chicken at least an hour if not the night before and leave uncovered in the fridge as this will act as a dry brine and leave you with moist and juicy meat
- Room temp. Take the chicken out of the fridge at least 30 mins before roasting it so it cooks evenly
- Pat dry. Remove as much moisture from the chicken as possible by patting the skin dry with paper towels
- Stuff the cavity. Anything you stuff into the cavity of the chicken will seep into the pan while cooking and create the most delicious jus. You can stuff it with anything you like from citrus and garlic to herbs and vegetables.
- Season generously. The more seasoning the better but this doesn’t mean you have to use a variety of seasoning! Just Olive oil, salt and pepper can create the most delicious chicken you will ever eat
- Stuff with butter. This is optional but I always like to do it to create a moist and juicy breast meat. By stuffing butter under the skin, it will melt into the meat.
- Truss – tie up the legs of the chicken. Not only will this help the chicken cook more evenly, it will also lift the thigh meat off the bottom of the pan and help create a golden skin.
- Leave your crispy skin expectations at the door. Contrary to what every roast chicken recipe will tell you, crispy chicken skin is a bit of a myth. While the skin will be crispy as soon as it comes out of the oven, it will instantly go soft the minute you cut into it. This is okay! We don’t need crispy skin. Just trust Alison Roman and I on this one.
- Leave to rest. Allowing the meat to rest will allow all of that flavour to combine and for the juices to be redistributed across the meat – resting meat is very important and it needs to be done for at least 10 minutes.
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Olive oil roast chicken with salsa verde
Ingredients
Roast chicken
- 1.5 kg whole chicken
- sea salt flakes
- black pepper
- 50 g butter divided
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic bulb cut in half
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary)
- 1 leek quartered
- sourdough to serve
Salsa verde
- 1 clove garlic
- sea salt
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 1 tbsp capers
- 40 g flat-leaf parsley finely choped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Pat the chicken skin dry with paper towel and generously season with sea salt flakes and pepper all over, not forgetting the cavity. If time allows, allow the chicken to come to room temperature for 2 hours. This step acts like a dry brine for juicy chicken results.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C conventional (150°C fan-forced). Using your fingers, carefully separate the skin from the chicken breast and evenly stuff with 30 g of the butter. Season the chicken with garlic powder and fennel seeds and extra salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil all over and massage well into the chicken with your hands.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the top off the garlic bulb, about 2–3 cm down from the top, to expose the cloves, then place in the cavity of the chicken with the lemon and fresh herbs. Tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen string as this will help the chicken cook evenly.
- Transfer the chicken to a baking dish with the leek. Season the leek with salt, pepper and then the remaining 20 g butter. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown.
- Meanwhile, prepare the herb sauce by placing the garlic and a big pinch of sea salt to a mortar and pestle. Grind until a paste-like texture forms. Add the anchovies and grind them into the garlic paste. Add the capers and pound until they are slightly broken down. Add the parsley and mix them through.
- Pour the olive oil and lemon juice into the mortar and pestle and gently mix through until all the ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with salsa verde and sourdough.
I made the chicken this week, and IT. WAS. PHENOMENAL!! I think the difference for me was the dry brine, which I had never done before. Thank you for teaching me about that! Beyond that, I’m really on a fennel kick, so I loved that addition. And I’m always looking for new ways to use leeks, and this was so delicious!
The gravy from the chicken drippings and the leeks was … just … PURE JOY! It was so yummy! I don’t know how else to describe it. I have extra sitting in my freezer while I figure out what to do with it because it is too good to throw away. I might just drink it straight! Is that gross? Haha
And of course I save the chicken carcass for your chicken broth! Can’t wait!
I am SO happy you loved the chicken! It’s such a favourite of mine too.