Hairy Bikers Mediterranean Roast Chicken

Hairy Bikers Mediterranean roast chicken roasts a whole bird over lemon, garlic, new potatoes, and olives on one tray. It comes from their Mediterranean Adventure cookbook, serves 4 to 6, and roasts in about 80 minutes at roughly 540 calories a portion.

In the book they call it a trip to the sun, made for when you are tired of stuffing and roasties. Everything roasts on one tray, so the potatoes and shallots soak up the lemony, herby juices from the bird.

The trick is blanching the potatoes for a few minutes first, so they finish tender at the same time as the chicken. Skip that step, and you risk hard potatoes under a bird that is already cooked and resting.

Hairy Bikers Mediterranean Roast Chicken

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Roasting Cuisine:British Mediterranean Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time:1 hour 20 minutesRest time: 20 minutesTotal time:2 hours Servings:6 servingsCalories:540 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

A whole chicken is rubbed with lemon, herbs, and oil, then roasted over blanched new potatoes, shallots, garlic, and green olives. The pan juices are saved for pouring over, and a simple dressed green salad is served alongside.

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 1 chicken (about 1.5kg)
• A few sprigs of thyme
• A few sprigs each of oregano, lemon thyme, flat-leaf parsley, and tarragon
• 3 lemons
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

For the tray

• 500g baby new potatoes
• 4 shallots, peeled
• 1 bulb of garlic, broken into cloves, unpeeled
• 250ml white wine
• 75g green olives

For the salad

• 2 heads of soft green lettuce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard

Instructions

1. Prep the chicken: Heat the oven to 220°C, Fan 200°C, Gas 7, then bring the chicken to room temperature. Season the cavity, then stuff it with half the herbs and half a lemon.
2. Start the tray: Blanch the potatoes for 3 minutes, then drain them and halve any large ones. Halve the shallots, then add them to a roasting tin with the garlic and potatoes.
3. Make the rub: Zest and juice one lemon, then mix with the oil and the rest of the herbs, chopped. Rub most over the chicken and drizzle the rest over the veg, then slice the last lemon over the tray.
4. Roast: Pour the wine over the veg, then sit the chicken on top. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn down to 180°C, Fan 160°C, Gas 4 for another hour, turning the potatoes and adding the olives halfway.
5. Check and rest: The chicken is done at 75°C in the thickest part, or when the juices run clear. Rest it under foil for 20 minutes, then reheat the strained pan juices in a small pan.
6. Salad and serve: Tear the lettuce, then toss it with the oil, vinegar, and mustard. Serve the chicken with the potatoes, olives, lemon, pan juices, and salad on the side.

Keywords:hairy bikers mediterranean roast chicken, mediterranean roast chicken, lemon roast chicken, one tray roast chicken, olive roast chicken

FAQs

What makes this a Mediterranean roast chicken?

The bird roasts with lemon, garlic, green olives, and a big mix of fresh herbs, so the flavours lean sunny and bright. It cooks on one tray with new potatoes and shallots, rather than being served with heavy stuffing and gravy.

Is there another Hairy Bikers Mediterranean roast chicken?

Yes, their Chicken and Egg book has a different version, stuffed with fried ciabatta, black olives, and capers. That one is finished with a tomatoey gravy, so it is richer than this lighter one-tray roast.

How do I know the chicken is cooked?

The timing suits a chicken of about 1.5kg, so a bigger bird needs a little longer in the oven. Check the thickest part reaches 75°C, or that the juices run clear when you pierce the leg.

What should I serve with it?

It is lovely with a heap of crusty bread for dipping into the lemony pan juices, plus the dressed green salad. For more sunny cooking, their spanish chicken makes another easy one-tray Mediterranean-style dinner.

How is it different from a classic roast chicken?

A classic roast chicken is heavier, with a bread stuffing and a floury gravy for a Sunday dinner. This one skips both, so it eats lighter and brighter with lemon, olives, and herbs.

For the traditional version, try their classic roast chicken with sage and onion stuffing.