Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients
- 1.5–2kg whole chicken
- 50g butter, softened
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 100g wild garlic leaves
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 glass water or white wine
Method
Place 75g of the wild garlic leaves into a food processor along with the butter, lemon zest and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse until you have a coarse, bright green butter.
Remove the chicken from the fridge about 1 hour before cooking. Pull the legs away from the body and lift the wings out from underneath, which helps hot air circulate more freely. Place the chicken in a suitably sized roasting tin. Carefully loosen the skin from the breast by edging your fingers between the skin and meat, working from both the neck and cavity ends. Take care not to tear the skin.
Spoon two thirds of the wild garlic butter under the skin, massaging it down towards the thighs and wings where possible. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and trickle with the olive oil.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, then remove the tin and add the glass of water or wine to the base. Return to the oven and cook for a further 50 minutes, basting once or twice.
Now spoon the remaining wild garlic butter over the bird and scatter in the remaining wild garlic leaves, roughly chopping them if large. They will wilt into the roasting juices. Roast for a final 10 minutes.
Check the chicken is cooked by pulling gently at a leg; it should come away easily. If needed, return the bird to the oven for a further 10–15 minutes.
Lift the chicken onto a large serving platter and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
To make a simple gravy, spoon off excess fat from the roasting tin and place it over a low heat. Sprinkle in 1–2 tbsp plain flour and stir well, cooking gently for 1 minute. Gradually add 300–400ml chicken or vegetable stock, stirring until smooth and simmering. Season to taste and, if you like, add a teaspoon or two of redcurrant jelly to balance the flavour. Serve alongside the chicken.
